


Imprisoned

by AchieLeft



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Eventual Smut, Hurt, Kidnapping, Kisses, M/M, Onesided Relationships - Freeform, Pain, Past rape/noncon, Scheming, Zsaszlepot, messed up timelines, send help, wow I’m actually bad at this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-08-22 23:21:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 23,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16607348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AchieLeft/pseuds/AchieLeft
Summary: After Riddler gets Oswald out of Arkham he hands the penguin over to Zsasz. Zsasz doesn't want to kill him, he tells Sofia that the former king won't be a problem. Zsasz loved Os, but Os kept Zsasz on too tight a leash. Zsasz wants the cobblepot in his basement. Now he's the boss and Oswald is a toy to be played with. Jim Gordon knows something is going on. Can he save the bird before all of his sanity is plucked away?





	1. Just an Authors Note

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This has been sitting for quite a while and it’s not great but I actually like it a lot. I figured I might as well post this to get some feedback. Enjoy!
> 
> Here’s present time me coming back to finish what I started. Kudos and comments are deeply appreciated.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ill probably delete this sometime.

Hey guys! I’m back! The note below is gonna stay I guess. Well enjoy. No new chapters but maybe the pacing will be easier for the people new to this story.

I’ve hit kind of a block and my daily struggles are kind of overwhelming so this might not get updated in a little bit. I’m probably going to rewrite it with some things that give way to a continuation better than this. I will definitely be back. I just feel unsatisfied with the way some things are in this so I can’t continue on it like this. I love all of the comments that I’ve received and cannot put into words how much it cheers me up. I love this fic too much to leave it as halfassed as it is so I’ll see you when it’s redone. I’m also going to try to turn that first big chunk into proper chapters. Thank you for reading! 

\\(•_•)/


	2. What’s your dream pet?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introduction.  
> Zsasz comes into possession of a Penguin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are again. I’ve chopped it up into smaller bits. It was very hard to edit it the way it was.

Alarms are blaring. Oswald Cobblepot has escaped. Zsasz smirks as he and his one eyed friend exit Arkham. Victor pats headhunter on the shoulder, "We should split up, he can't escape both of us." Headhunter nods and starts walking in the opposite direction Zsasz goes in. Zsasz pulls his phone out, "Nygma. Everything go smoothly?"  
"Yes, we are outside the warehouse. He's asleep. He loves whiskey so much he won't hesitate to drink it no matter who it's from. Just so we're clear-" Zsasz hangs up. That man talks too much. Victor quickly makes his way to the prearranged location. He sees Ed leaning on a stolen police car. "Finally you arrive. You know it's rude to hang up on someone? Especially when they are in the middle of a sentence. As I was saying on the phone, just so we're clear, I give him to you, you don't accept contracts to kill me. Correct?" Victor nods but thinks, 'I don't need a contract to kill you, I'll wait awhile, but you'll die by my hand.' "Excellent!" Riddler claps his hands in delight and opens the backdoor of the car to reveal a knocked out, striped jumpsuit clad penguin. "Your prize my good sir!" He gestures widely with his arms to the bird. Zsasz checks his watch and stares down the road. A black van driven by one of his henchwomen is approaching.  
Zsasz looks back at Ed, "He loved you. Probably with every fiber of his being. Once he finds out, maybe I'll record the venom he spits, just for you." He pulls the unconscious escapee out of the car and into the van.  
The riddle mans jaw tightens. "Like YOU can talk! I'm Neither bought nor sold but more valuable than gold, I am built but not by hand what am I?"  
Victor frowns. "Trust."  
Ed makes a thumbs up. "That's right Victor. He trusted you more than anyone else after I had left him. For a while, you were the only one he could trust. But I suppose he was wrong to do even that. He once told me, 'trust is such a hard thing to come by in Gotham' I realize more and more every day just how correct that statement truly is. We are living proof of his words. He really is a victim of his own heart. Emotions are his driving factor and that would always be his downfall... I should leave before I start regretting my decision. Pop by the narrows sometime." Ed gets into the stolen vehicle and drives off. 'I truly despise you, Nygma.' Zsasz stands there, unmoving, lost in his own head until he hears footsteps drawing near. He quickly draws his guns.  
"Victor Zsasz! Is that penguin?! Is he alive?!" Gordon approaches briskly and loud.  
Zsasz holsters one of his guns and presses a finger to his lips. "Shhh, detective. The little bird is sleeping."  
Gordon is startled a bit that the assassin hasn't killed his former boss. "Why haven't you killed him? Wasn't that your job?" His voice is lowered.  
"Why do you want to know?" Victor evades the question.  
"Call me curious. Can we just chat for a second?" Gordon holsters his gun so Victor does the same. The van door is shut and there's a locking sound. "Hey! Why'd you do that?"  
"Don't want you getting ideas. Also, I don't know when he'll wake up. Call me cautious." Victor replies with a shrug.  
Gordon narrows his eyes at the bald man. "Well, answer the question. Why isn't he dead?" Zsasz smirks as he thinks for a moment.  
Then the assassin speaks, "I have a hobby, Jim. I like to take strong willed 'toys', crack open the shell, and see what's inside. Then, I put them back together the way I want them. I have a feeling I now have a rather complex toy in my possession. I've always wanted to know what it's like to have a penguin as a pet." Gordon's nose wrinkles at the sadists words. That's the most he's really heard the man speak.  
Gordon swallows before choosing his words carefully. "You think it was a good idea to tell me that? It's my job to stop these kinds of things."  
Zsasz grins. "Look the other way. If it's like this, he'll be out of your life."  
"You know I can't do that. Open the door. Hand him over." Gordon walks closer to the van.  
"A pity I can't take you too. Sofia wouldn't like that." Victor says sadly.  
"You are a crazy sadist and I can't let you take him. Victor, is he really worth the trouble I'm gonna cause?" Gordon tries to appeal to the assassin.  
"If he wasn't, would he be alive?" Victor says.  
Jim thinks, 'He has a point. He wouldn't go through all of this if there wasn't something deeper.' "There's something else. Some other reason, connected to the others but on a deeper level... Did you think he understood you?" Zsasz flinches. "Did you think that he saw you as someone more than an obedient dog? You found out that he lied to you, or maybe you found out that he went behind your back. Oh I see. Sofia. A Falcone. You were loyal to the Don. You found out that he put a hit on Falcone and didn't tell you. There's more than that too, there's stuff I don't know. But what I do know, is that his existence means something to you. You want to control it, play god. Listen here Victor, what you plan to do won't help. Give him to me and move on. I'll even let you walk, just open the van door." Gordon looks at the clearly agitated man. 'Bingo. He's not composed anymore.'  
Victors teeth are clenched and his hands are balled into fists. "Jim. I'll admit, most of what you've said is correct. However, it will help. I will break him. Expose his most private and inner thoughts. You shouldn't anger me. I've told you, you're a good egg. But I'll crush good eggs too if they seem rotten. Do yourself some good and stay out of my way. Sofia won't like it if I kill you, but she's very forgiving. Goodbye Jim." Zsasz says as his henchwoman hits the detective on the head with her gun. He smiles at her and hops into the van. They leave Gordon slumped over with a bloody spot on his head.  
\---  
Harvey jumps out of the car when he finally finds his partner. "Oh shit." He runs over to his friend. "Jim! Hey, hey, wake up buddy! What happened?" He pats him on the face.  
Jims eyes dart around when he opens them. "MOTHERFUCKER!" He stands up abruptly and leans on Harvey.  
"Whoa whoa partner, calm down. Who's a motherfucker?" Harvey asks as he leads Jim to the patrol car.  
"Zsasz! Victor goddamn Zsasz!" He runs his hand through his hair.  
"Well yeah he's an asshole but that's in his job description. Why are you so peeved now?" He asks his frustrated partner.  
"He has Penguin Harv! He's gonna torture the guy! I thought I was talking him down but he was playing me for a fool! I hate Penguin but he doesn't deserve what that sadistic asshat is gonna give him. He deserves to be put behind bars, not used as a living, breathing stress ball! We've gotta find him." Harvey's eyes go wide as he listens to Jim.  
Harvey comments, "He doesn't deserve it? He's tortured people too. Maybe he treated Zsasz like dirt under his shoe and the guy just wants some payback. He'd be out of our way Jim. And think positive. Zsasz will probably also be out of our way for a while because he'll be preoccupied with the little bastard. It's a win-win Jim! Just leave it be!"  
Gordon shoots a hateful look at his partner. "Harv. You didn't hear the way Zsasz was talking. He doesn't need information from Oswald. Torture tends to be much more brutal when there isn't an informational motive, it typically lasts much longer, sometimes years. You've seen Zsasz's 'work'. Even Oswald Cobblepot isn't deserving of it. Oswald only ever tortured people for information. If they betrayed him, he'd give them a pretty quick death. They'd bleed out fast or it'd be a shot to the head. Zsasz enjoys playing with his victims. Os didn't have a taste for it so Victor probably has a lot of stress built up from being tied down. Oswald was bad, but he had a heart. I don't think much of Victors heart is left." Harvey's protests disappear from his throat.  
"O-Okay partner, I trust you. We'll find him. Penguin better hold on though, we don't have the slightest bit of information on Zsasz at all. He barely exists. How do you plan on finding him?" The detective grimaces at the thought of all the work this'll be.  
"No idea, but our starting point will have to be the man who broke him out of Arkham in the first place. Riddler." Gordon says with a very intense look on his face.  
\---  
Zsasz sits in front of a still unconscious Oswald who's tied up and laying on the floor. He nudges the body with his steel toed boot. When nothing happens he kicks the man in his ribs. A gasp of air and frantic green-grey eyes grace Victor with their presence. When they land on the assassin they freeze in disbelief. "Thought you'd never wake up." He watches pink lips tremble as the poor man struggles to grasp the situation. "Confused? I bet." He presses the record button on a tape. "You're one and only Edward Nygma betrayed you, again." Oswald opens his mouth to yell but is silenced by another kick. "Shush. I'm talking. I don't want to have to sew your mouth shut, but it's an option. He handed you over to me, in exchange, I won't take any contracts to kill him." Oswald doesn't speak but the look in his eyes tells Zsasz that he immediately recognized the loophole in the deal. 'Edward is supposed to be smart, how did he not see it?' Tears form in the silent mans eyes. "Oh, don't cry... Actually, yes, cry. In fact, cry more, cry louder. I love it when your freckles show." He motions with his hands that Os can speak now.  
"Vic-Victor! Stop spouting nonsense! He wouldn't-" Os sobs.  
"Nonsense? Have you ever known me to 'spout nonsense'? It's the truth. He would. He did. Now you're mine." He speaks calmly.  
Oswald chokes up before spewing obscenities about the man he so clearly still loves. Every harsh word the bird screeches adds a beautiful butterfly to Victors stomach. The ranting soon gets repetitive and boring so Victor stands up and lightly puts a foot on Oswald's ribs. Words cease and Os holds his breath. The foot lifts and comes back down, harshly knocking the wind out of the man. Then he begins to stomp and kick Oswald until he hears a popping sound with every kick and Oswald passes out from the pain. He steps away from the tear stained mess of a man and walks to the audio recorder. "How does that feel Nygma? Good? Bad? Do you feel regret? Especially since you know, even with everything he said just now, that he still loves you. Sting a little? Maybe next time I'll call you and put it on speakerphone." He presses the stop button on the device and packages it up with a nice green box and a big emperor penguin plastered on it. He gives it to one of his girls upstairs to deliver.  
"Coward..." A wheeze comes from Oswald.  
"Oh, awake so soon?" Victor sits back down. "Do explain. How am I a coward?"  
"I thought you'd be more confident in your own ability but you tied me up. Afraid I'll best you?" He coughs up a little blood.  
Victor smiles. "Unnecessary, true. What if I told you that honestly I just love the way it looks. The former 'King of Gotham' is tied up, bloody, and groveling below his former employee. Sounds familiar."  
Oswald looks down at the concrete floor. "Just kill me, that's what you were hired to do right? Just skip the foreplay and end it."  
"If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be here." He stares at the downcast man. "Foreplay? We aren't even there yet. That was just the introduction."


	3. Promises

"Nygma! Nygma! Edward Nygma!" Gordon shouts into the crowd of people holed up in the game show type place. He sees the man in a green suit exit through a side door. "Dammit!" He runs past the people and chases Nygma down several small alleys until he manages to tackle the guy.  
"Jim Gordon. To what do I owe this pleasure?" He says as he stands up and casually leans against the wall like he wasn't now covered in grime.  
"Penguin! Zsasz has 'im. What do you know about that?" The green man just shrugs in reply. "Okay, we'll do this another way." He grabs him by his collar and slams him into the wall. Then punches him in the face a few times.  
"Okay, okay I'll tell you what I know, it's not much though." He smiles as he starts his riddle. "The space that’s underground Oswald can be found. He's in the space down below where things for storage go. He's in a place where cold air likes to flow."  
Jim runs his hand through his hair. "Okay that's pretty simple. A basement. That doesn't help me much Nygma. I don't know if it's connected to a house, warehouse, or some other building. "  
"Likely not connected to where he lives. There might be some meaning to the place he chose though. Look into Victors interests." They look down the alley and see a short haired woman approaching with a package decorated with a penguin. She sees them and keeps her distance. She sets the box down and runs away. There's no chance of catching her. "Oh dear." Ed goes and picks it up.  
A gun is pointed at him. "Open it." Gordon nods at him. An audio setup is inside. Ed presses the 'play last recording' button.  
"Your one and only Edward Nygma betrayed you, again." Ed grimaces and Jim shoots him a look. They hear the crying and Victors cruel voice. Then yelling and cursing. They hear feet walk a few steps and stop. Then the kicking and gagging noises start, it turns into flat out screaming and then silence. The steps get louder and Zsasz speaks, "How does that feel Nygma? Good? Bad? Do you feel regret? Especially since you know, even with everything he said just now, that he still loves you. Sting a little? Maybe next time I'll call you and put it on speakerphone." The recording stops.  
Gordon grabs Eds collar again. "You are responsible for this!?"  
"I REGRET IT! OKAY! I can't change it now. I've sent my best friend who freed me to a fate worse than death. If anyone can find him, it's you Gordon." Nygma shouts.  
Jim lets go and sighs. "You should have never gotten involved with Zsasz. You should have known better. You're supposed to be smart. Don't tell me you also didn't notice the loophole in the deal." Ed looks confused. "You better hope I find him. He's gonna come after you too."  
"He'd be breaking his deal then. He said that he wouldn't accept- oh crud." He realizes his error in judgment. "He's gonna kill me on his own. He doesn't need a contract to come after me. Oh dear. Jim. I know we have had our differences but we need to work together on this. I have brains."  
"You do? Right now I feel like you're dumber than a third rate goon. You're coming with me down to the GCPD protective custody."  
"What? No! That's less safe than out here. You forget that I was there when he waltzed right in demanding to see you. Nobody stands up to Victor Zsasz. Penguin and the Falcones were the only ones who did, and even they knew that Zsasz could easily kill them at anytime. The difference was that Falcone didn't restrain Victor. Victor held a fond respect for the old man. And he believes that Oswald killed him."  
"Believes? The way you say that... Sofia did it. Damn it all! Not only is the guy getting tortured, he's under false accusation."  
"Ding ding ding! Correct!"  
"Why didn't you tell Zsasz?"  
"He trusted Os more than me and he didn't even believe him. He wouldn't believe me and he'd probably decide to torture me too for adding salt to his wound. We need evidence. Get Sofia to admit it. Record it. I'll get the evidence to Zsasz somehow. I see his women around here sometimes."  
Jim face palms. "After this is over. You better apologize to Oswald. To his face. He probably won't forgive you, but if you don't, I'll make sure you regret it. If Zsasz contacts you, come find me and if you can't find me in time, record it." Gordon storms out of the alley with the audio device and makes his way to the precinct. He heads home at 2am not finding anything in the gruesome files that could give any sort of lead. He decides to walk, so he can think. He notices an extra set of footsteps following him. He stops walking. "You need something from me?" He hears the person step out of the shadows and approach him.  
"Howdy." The headhunter steps into full view. "I've heard you're looking into my buddy. He ditched me earlier, figure you might know what he's up to."  
Gordon looks for any sign that Zsasz put him up to it. Seeing none, he tells him, "He's got the penguin, he's torturing him. It'd be nice if you could keep this between us for now."  
"He's got the penguin! Shiiit, he said we should split up to look for him, I guess he just wanted me out of his way. He knows I would've just killed the man-child. Look. I just want my money and I don't appreciate bein' disrespected like that. Look, how's about we help each other out." He reaches to wrap an arm around Jim.  
Jim dodges the arm and glares at the man. "Even if you help me find Oswald, I'm not just gonna let you kill him. Here's how this is gonna work. Either you help me out willingly, or I charge you as an accomplice and take you in."  
The man just shrugs. "Alright, I'll see if I can figure out where he is. I'll even tell you if I figure it out. But if I get there before you, the bird's dead."  
"This isn't a game!" Jim yells.  
"Sure it is. Well then, adios Gordon." Headhunter holds his belt buckle as he walks away.  
Gordon finally gets home. He sighs in relief but is quickly tensed up again hearing movement in his kitchen. "Zsasz!" He goes to head after the man but a gun is pointed in his direction.  
"Ah, ah, ah. Hi Jim. So, not gonna look the other way? One of my girls said you were talking to Nygma. Did you like the recording?" He digs in the fridge with one hand and keeps the gun on Jim. He drinks down half of the milk while awaiting a reply.  
"Is this going to become a regular occurrence? Should I just buy some for you too?" Jim says, trying to stall so he can figure out what to say in reply. "In that recording penguin was awfully quiet at the end. Is he okay?" Jim asks.  
"Okay is very broad. What counts as okay? He's alive. But that is also a broad term. If you were wondering about his injuries, just broken ribs. He wants me to just kill him. That wouldn’t be much fun though would it? I gave one of the girls a phone for him." He pulls out his own phone and scrolls through his contacts, a click, ringing.  
It picks up and Victor tells her to place the phone to penguins ear. Silence. "Hi Oswald, I'm here with your old friend Jim. You can speak." Jim cocks his head a bit at the command.  
A broken voice comes through the receiver. "Jim Gordon?" His voice is more scratchy and nasally than normal.  
"Do you know any other old friend Jims?" Victor asks and there's a sob through the receiver.  
Gordon thinks, 'This is some kind of power play. By doing this he's making Oswald think that even I can't save him. The culprit is right in front of me. But he's too slippery.' "Penguin! I'm gonna find you! Okay? Just hold on for a while. I'll put this sick bastard away. That's a promise." Victor just grins.  
"Like a favor? Jim? Just like all those favors you NEVER payed back. Can I really believe you?" Penguin grits out the words.  
The assassins teeth show in his sadistic smile at the birds words. "Yeah, Jim. Can he really believe you? I mean EVERYONE he trusted has let him down. You. Me. Ed. Butch. Gabe. And so many others. Trust is such a hard thing to come by in Gotham. You once said that Ossy. You don't listen to your own words."  
The penguin comes through again, "It's not that trust itself is hard to come by. Mutual trust, unbroken trust, and correctly placed trust are what's so hard to find. Being in this horrid situation of mine, I've come to realize that I've just been placing my trust, love, and care in the wrong places. Especially with YOU VICTOR!"  
Victors eyes darken at the jab at him. "That's not how you should speak about the person who holds your life in his hands. We'll talk when I get back."  
"No! Victor ple-" Zsasz hangs up the call.  
Gordon is shocked at everything he's heard. He stands in front of the door. "What're you going to do to him?"  
"Obedience training. Even a pet has to have manners." He walks closer to Jim and the exit. Jim presses himself against it. determined to get some answers before the man leaves. "Come on Jim." Victor says in an intimidatingly low yet almost playful voice.  
"Give me a hint. Where is he?" Jim stands his ground. "I'm not letting you leave unless you give me an answer. I've beaten you before."  
Zsasz holsters his gun. "Oh Jim. I didn't really want to beat you before. If I really wanted you dead, I wouldn't be speaking to you, I'd have already lodged a bullet in your skull. But I'll give you a hint, just one though." He pulls out his phone and clicks a button. Funky town starts playing. "I like that song." Jim is confused but he guesses it's all he'll get. "Now please move." Jim stays put. Victor leans close to Jim and whispers. "I said please." He wraps his hands around Gordon's neck and strangles him to the floor. When Jim passes out and struggling ceases, Victor pulls out a second phone and slips it into the inside pocket of Jims blazer. He leaves the flat to head back to his entertainment.


	4. Captive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’ll probably come back and add summaries

Zsasz briskly makes his way into the spacious room. Penguin is shivering in the corner. "Cold?" He walks over to the small man and loves the strong flinch he receives from the penguin. "It's embarrassing to be talked about so rudely in some else's presence."  
"Sorry I can't help but point out that you're an asshole." Os mutters quietly in hopes it won't be heard. Zsasz crouches down to be at eye level and pets his black hair. The former kingpin tries to get away from his touch but he's against a wall. Zsasz softly caresses the hair, but he then suddenly grips a handful of the locks.  
"You should submit to me sooner rather than later. I don't want to get too rough with you." He smirked at the last part. Such a lie, he wants to break the bird. Snap the wings so he can't fly away. Not that a penguin could fly anyway. Make him want to stay because he has nowhere else to go. No one who wants him. No one who loves him. Zsasz will be his everything, his whole world will now revolve around the sadist. It shouldn't matter if he lies, after all, Penguin lied all the time.  
"I will NEVER bend to a TRAITOR like you!" The bird spits his words.  
"But...You've agreed with me before, I do good work right boss? Oh right, you aren't the boss anymore. Tell me. Who's the boss?" He whispers into the former crime lords ear. Penguin purses his lips. His hair is held even tighter. "Oswald. It's simple. Is it too humiliating for you to be below someone who used to be below you?" The hair is released. "We'll work on that. Now, here's what I want to do. I want to release your hands and secure your ankle to that chain over there secured to that wall. You'll be able to reach the bathroom, a couch, a small table for two, and a mattress with a warm blanket. Doesn't that sound nice?" Oswald doesn't say anything but shoves his hands forward to be released. When they are free, he stays on the floor just rubbing his wrists. He waits for the 'okay' to get up, he just wants to sleep under that warm blanket. Victor puts his hand out for Os to take. He does and he's walked over to the bathroom where the chain is sitting on the floor. The bathroom has no door to shut. He examines the chain, its long and connects to a metal pole back in the center of the room. He isn't immediately hooked up to it. "You have to use the bathroom?" Victor asks. Oswald nods. "You can go." Oswald turns so that he's sure his junk will be out of view and relieves himself. He zips back up and expects to now be hooked up to the chain. Instead of that, he is beckoned into the walk-in shower. Zsasz takes off his outer jacket and is left in his black pants and black tank top. Os shudders at all of the tallies adorning Victors arms. He looks to Oswald, "Undress, we're gonna clean you up." When the small guy doesn't do what was asked, Zsasz grabs the detachable shower head and turns on the cold water and drenches the captive. He begins shivering anew but still doesn't make any move to strip. "It's really not a big deal Os. And I'm getting a little tired of your silence."  
"I don't like being undressed in front of others. I really just don't like being touched." Oswald pleads.  
"We all have to do and deal with things we don't like." With that, the assassin unzips the penguins jumpsuit with one fluid motion and pulls the top of it down Oswalds shoulders. Hands reach to stop him but they are simply ignored. Os is too weak to do any real damage. Every movement must hurt his ribs terribly. Zsasz strips the man completely naked and tosses the striped uniform to the side. The Penguin drops to the floor and curls in on himself. "Don't be like that. Look, the water's warm now." He faces the water back to Oswald and the tolerably hot water relaxes him just a smidge. Something cold is drizzled onto his hair and back. The hot water stops and hands are lathering the soap onto his body and into his hair. His muscles spasm with the unwanted touches but he stays put. His legs are pried out from in front of him and soon he's completely covered in the cheap smelling hotel-esque soap. A scream echoes throughout the basement when Oswald's privates are touched. "I'm just washing you."  
Oswald scrambles to the side of the tiled wall. "Can't I do it myself!?"  
Victor just shrugs. "I don't see why not." Black orbs just stare at the discombobulated man.  
"You aren't gonna leave, or at least turn around?" Victor shakes his head and Oswald somehow feels more awkward now than when Zsasz was doing it for him. He runs his hands down himself and as he does, the humiliation of it all really weighs on him. He's being treated like a pet. He reaches out for the shower head but Victor pulls it just out of reach and grins. "Say please." Victor says, amusement playing in his voice. Oswald curls back up into a ball in defiance. Oswald is yanked into a standing position and sprayed with freezing cold water until he's completely rid of suds. He's then roughly pulled out of the shower and a towel is raked over his body in such a manner that it feels like it's rubbing his skin raw. 'I've angered him again. What does he expect from me? Of all people, he should know that I don't bend so easily.' Penguin thinks. He hears the chain clink and feels the cold pressure around his ankle. He's being walked over to the mattress now. A firm push sends him down onto the stiff bed.  
He flips around to look up at Zsasz. "Clothes?" He wants to yell but contains the urge.  
"You've been very disobedient tonight. No clothes. Maybe if you're good, you'll get to wear something tomorrow." Victor says. He sits down on the mattress beside Os.  
"How long do you intend on keeping me here?" Oswald asks in a quiet, worried voice.  
"How long do you intend to live?" That's the reply he gets. It sends chills down to his bones. He grabs the thick blanket to cover himself. Tears escape his eyes once more. Zsasz pulls him close and licks a tear off of his cheek. The action just makes him cry harder into the scarred mans chest.  
The sadist can't help but tease, "I think my name would look amazing carved into your flesh. Don't you? The real question is how. A brand? Or a knife?" A choked sob comes out at the assassins words. After a few hours of more cruel ideas and threats mixed with words of false compassion, Zsasz decides that it's time to head home. He places a bottle of water and a piece of bread on a napkin laying on the floor. "See you later." Os hears a heavy metal door lock behind his captor. Zsasz wears a toothy smile the whole way home.  
——  
Jim wakes up with a crick in his neck at 7:30am to a voicemail message from Harv. "Jim. You plan on sleeping all day? I expected you to be at the precinct before me. Well anyway, I think I've got something good. Hurry up and get your ass here."  
He winces at the way his throat feels scratchy from being choked out. “goddammit Zsasz...” He goes to take a shower but he feels something in his pocket when he's taking his blazer off. "What the hell." It's a phone. It's the phone he had been given by Penguin that only contained his number. 'Zsasz must have put it there, but why?' Thinking about the phone, he takes a shower and gets ready for work. He makes sure to bring the phone with him to the precinct. He goes to his office where Harvey is already sitting down. He shuts the door behind him. "Hey Harvey." He sits.  
"Did you find anything last night, partner?" The detective leans forward on the desk. Gordon sighs and begins his story of last night, starting with the riddler. When he's done talking about the encounter itself he pulls the audio recording out of his desk and plays it. "Holy hell." Harvey rests his forehead in his hand as he listens to the cruelty. "Zsasz is one fucked up son of a bitch." Harvey mutters. The recording ends and Jim talks about headhunter following him and Victor being in his apartment and giving him the phone. "He strangled you! We could bring him in on that charge alone!"  
Jim shakes his head. "He didn't leave a bruise, it'd just be my word against his. We have to get something solid." He sets the phone down in front of him. He hadn't opened it earlier so he does now. Flipping it open, he sees that there is no number in the phone at all anymore. "What? What's the point of giving me a blank phone?"  
"So he can call you. Not the other way around." Harvey says.  
"So I just wait around for a call while he hurts Penguin? I think not. What do you got Harv?"  
“One of his women. Give me a few days, we’ll get something good.” He hands Jim a file.  
——  
Victor quietly makes his way into the large room. Oswald is sleeping. He places a pillow on the floor in front of the mattress and sits on it. "Oswald." He speaks in a soft tone but it still startled the man awake and he scrambles backwards clutching the blanket against his naked body. "It's alright. Look I've brought you some more water and a sandwich..." Oswald looks at the food in disinterest. "Okay, I've got what you really want. Look. Clothes." He presents everything in a line in front of him. The clothes are a black silk pajama set. He lays down no underwear. "Everything else here is pretty cheap so I figured your clothes could be a bit more expensive... You really won't talk to me?"  
"My mother told me that if I didn't have anything nice to say then to not say anything at all." Oswald says, sounding pretty downcast. Oswald doesn’t hesitate to stand up to make it easier to get him dressed, eager to be covered again. Oswald lets him put his shirt on but is momentarily confused as to how they will put on his pants with the chain on his ankle. He hears a zipping noise and sees that one pant leg zips all the way down. "I figured I'd get them modified for our.. special situation. It not only provides me with a way to clothe you without unlocking the anklet.” ‘And easy access.’ Oswald shudders once more and feels tears grace his eyes as his pants are pulled on and his pant leg is zipped up. “Do you have any sexual experience Oswald?” The man in question jerks his head up at the question. “Well?”  
“N-no.” He stutters through his lie.  
“Who?” Victor is surprised.  
“I said I haven’t.” Penguins face is pale.  
“You lied. Who?” Zsasz gets more serious seeing the looks on his captives face.  
Oswald closes his eyes and sits down, Zsasz follows suit. “In Arkham.. That bastard clown.” Tears glide down his face.  
“Did he take your-“ He is cut off by yelling.  
“No! No! It wasn’t that! It was just.. just touching, and w-with my mouth...” He curls in on himself. Victor hugs him.  
“It isn’t your fault Oswald. He’ll never touch you again.” Oswald sobs into his captors chest.


	5. Love?

The next night  
The hitman closes the heavy door as quietly as he can behind himself and slowly approaches the mattress. “Oswald..” The naked man launches himself away from the man with a wheeze and small shriek. He clutches the blanket to himself tightly and glares at his former employee. Victor smiles and waves in greeting. “Don’t worry, I don’t have much time right now. I just want to know more about you. I’ll wrap your ribs too, they are probably sore.”  
Victor grins wide, a few teeth making an appearance. “Just to make sure they don't heal awkwardly. Come here." He beckons to Os with his hands. To his surprise, the man actually starts crawling toward him. He brings the blanket but Victor quickly snatches it away and pulls him into his lap. "I'm probably warmer than that blanket anyway." The struggling ceases soon because the more he does so, the tighter the grip on his ribs gets. The stretchy wrap is picked up from the ground and pulled around Oswald's naked chest. When it's done, he is hugged to the assassins chest, which is indeed warm. No matter how warm it is, it doesn't stop the shivering because Oswald is shivering from fear, not the cold  
“Why should I tell you anything?” Penguin asks with anger lacing his words.  
“Because I love you.” The penguins eyes go wide.  
“Since when?” Penguin asks. 'Why didn't you just tell me? That probably would've led to a much more desirable situation.'  
Victor shrugs, "I don't know for sure when it started, all I know is that for a while, I didn't know why you made me itch. I started noticing little things you do that either piss me off or make me want to kiss you. In any other relationships, I had never thought that I wanted to kiss them so it was always initiated by the other." He pauses for a second and sits down. Oswald is released and sits back down on the bed.  
Oswald blurts, "Why didn't you just tell me! I wouldn't have judged you or been cruel about it.."  
"That's exactly why. You'd treat me differently. Not by being cruel or mean. But by being just the opposite. You should know more than anyone how much it stings when the person you love is nice to you just because of your feelings. I didn't want your sympathy or anything. I just wanted you, and I was certain you wouldn't give that to your subordinate." He takes off his jacket and folds it before setting it on the floor next to him.  
"I'd rather have let Ed give me his sympathy than have made him hate me. I'd do anything to change what I did." Zsasz was starting to get flustered but Oswald continued speaking anyway. "He taught me that love means being able to sacrifice your own happiness for someone else. What you're doing isn't love." He looks up at Victor and feels his blood go cold. Victors eyes are dark from the talk of Oswald's love. His hands are clasped together and his knuckles are white. Oswald immediately goes to apologize and try to somehow correct his big error. "I'm not saying that you don't love me Victor, I'm just saying that this isn't the best way to-" he cuts himself off when he hears a hard smack. Throbbing radiates from his cheek. Zsasz stands up and Oswald flinches hard expecting more pain, but none comes. The jacket is grabbed harshly and heavy footsteps lead out of the room.  
——  
Jim arrives early to the office. Harvey is sitting at his desk. When he sees his partner, he gets up and motions for Jim to follow. They go into an interrogation room. A woman is sitting at the table. She has spiked hair and is wearing leather.  
Harvey pipes up, "She works for Zsasz. She said she'd tell us what we want to know if we can guarantee she can escape Gotham safely with her daughter."  
"Done." Jim says immediately. He sits down in front of her. "So, what do you know?"  
"What do you need to know?" She replies.  
"Ok. Zsasz and Nygma both suggested that I should learn about him. His personality and interests I guess. He also played a song, I've heard it before but I don't know the name."  
"The song was probably Funky Town. It's a disco song that he loves, he uses it as his ringtone and for alarms. I don't know where he's keeping Penguin, but it might be related to his disco obsession. Zsasz is an eccentric, his personality doesn't match his looks for the most part. He looks like a very serious person but he drops one liners and ironic comments all the time. Maybe an old joke club? Also, even though he may call it a basement, it might not be a basement at all. He likes to name things. I was his main lady for three years. I was called Mistress."  
Harvey writes all of this down. Gordon clarifies, "Was there a reason you were called that? Did you two.. have relations?"  
She nods, "Only once. I came on to him. I thought I was in love with him. I soon found that we were incompatible. He's a control freak, and rougher than most. I had too many bruises to count. Not from him getting angry and hitting me or anything. He wasn't that type. He would just turn into an animal when we got intimate. Biting was the worst." She pulls her arm out of her jacket and pulls her shirt down below her shoulder revealing a nasty scar. "This one got infected. The next morning when he looked at me, he said he was sorry and that we should end things. It's like he has a predator inside of him that is released sometimes. He ended things for my sake. I think he worried he'd break me like his other victims. It's his curse. He can't be with another because he simply can't control himself. He beats himself up about it. Do you know why I'm telling you about this so in depth?" Jim and Harvey are shaken about the information that has been spilled.  
Jim speaks up, "To help us. But, it does seem off topic to be talking about Victors failed love. What's the connection?"  
She smiles a sad smile. "After me, he turned to bedding men. When I asked him why, he said that he didn't mind hurting guys nearly as much. That they could handle it better. I'm talking about it because he came to love his boss. When Oswald was his boss. He talked to me all the time about how he yearned so much for the ill-tempered man. Now that he has him in his clutches, I worry he might completely give in to his predatory side. You should try and find him quickly, if he manages to condition that bird. Or get him to submit... He might take him home. If that happens then I doubt you'll ever find him. None of us girls even know where he lives." Jim face palms and sighs after the monologue.  
Harvey is the fist to speak. "So uhhh.. Zsasz is like, into Penguin?" She nods. He sighs. "Why can't it ever be easy? Why couldn't Penguin have just treated him like shit and this just be a revenge thing?"  
She seems to realize something else and speaks up again. "Actually I think it is revenge. I recall Victor being completely frustrated one day. He was pacing and yelling about 'how everything would've worked out' if the boss had just let him kill 'that bastard Nygma'. Penguin froze Ed instead of killing him. That's gotta have something to do with it. And the whole thing about him killing Falcone behind his back."  
"The Falcone thing's bull." Jim cut in. She looks shocked.  
"What do you mean?" She asks.  
"Sofia killed Falcone. Not Penguin. She framed him to get him out of her way." She chokes up and laughs. "What the hell?" Jim asks.  
"He was so upset about it. That was the whole reason he betrayed the stupid bird." Her smile fades. "I don't know what he'll do when he finds out, probably maim himself and break things. Probably go after Sofia."  
"You think he'll free Oswald if he knows?" Jim asks hopefully not not confidently.  
She scoffs. "Not a chance, that's something deeper still. He wants Oswald to be his possession. That won't change no matter what you tell him."  
"I thought as much." Jim thinks for a second, 'If he goes after Sofia, either he'll kill her and I can arrest him, or I can arrest Sofia and he'll come to me. I'll get proof but in the meantime...' Then he speaks, "Would he believe it if you told him?"  
She nods but then her eyes go wide. "I can't. What if he finds out that I talked to you!? He will kill me! My daughter would be orphaned!" Her refusal is loud and sounds final.  
"Ma'am, please reconsider. You might be the only way to save a mans life. If you don't tip him off then he won't know. If you act natural, it'll be smooth sailing. I won't let anything happen to you. Wouldn't you like to start a new life with a clear conscience?" She puts her head in her hands and sighs. “I'll think about it. Let me go home for now. I'll give you a call when I decide... You promise I'll get out of here, Out of Gotham?” Jim nods and stands up. He rubs her shoulder comfortingly and Harvey opens the door. She leaves and Harvey sighs obnoxiously loud.  
"Shit-damn partner. This is getting crazier every second. You better go get some evidence against Sofia. I hope you know what you're doing." Jim knew Harvey was concerned because Sofia would spill all the dirt she has on Jim the second she was in custody. 'I don't care if she talks. I deserve whatever comes to me. All that matters is saving Oswald and stopping Sofia.' He steels his resolve. He gets a message on the blank phone. It reads.'I guess I shouldn't have trusted her.' Jims blood runs cold. "Shit. Harvey, find that woman and get her out of Gotham, Victor knows she talked. And look into abandoned comedy and disco clubs. " Jim leaves the precinct with a plan.  
He's only a few steps out of the building when he gets a call from Nygma. "Jim! I'm in a bit of a sticky situation."  
"Is it Zsasz!? Where are you?!"  
"Actually no. It's that headhunter guy! We're in the Narrows at the warehouse I met Victor at."  
Head Hunter yells in the background, "Aww, are you guys talking about me?"  
Gordon speaks, "So,what's the situation?"  
"So, headhunter is currently tied to a chair. I've asked him what he knows but he's terrible at riddles and he says he doesn't like me. So I need yo-" Jim cuts him off.  
"I've already talked to him, he's useless. Let him go. He doesn't know where Oswald is." At that, Ed just hangs up.


	6. Interruption

One of his women talked and he wasn’t able to gut her for it. What a shit day.  
Zsasz slams the door behind him as he makes his way to the bird currently scurrying away. Zsasz grabs a leg and is suddenly on top of Oswald. Nails scratch across Victors cheek. They cut deeper than Oswald expected them to. Blood dribbles from the small wounds. Victor swipes a finger across the blood and licks his finger. His teeth show in a predatory smile. He grabs the birds hands in a crushing grip and presses them into the mattress above Oswald's head. The other hand slides down past his bony hips to his ass and squeezes.  
"Victor please. Don't do this. You’ll regret it." Oswald means to sound threatening but instead just sounds like a nervous wreck.  
“Eventually you are going to beg for me.” Zsasz says, grinding slightly against him.  
"I won't, I promise." The little man says adamantly.  
"I could easily have my way with you, yet I haven’t. You should be showing some gratitude. Unless you want me to rip you apart.." He trails his eyes back down his victim and grinds a bit harder to make his arousal clear.  
"Fuck you." Oswald says with pouty lips.  
Victor first kisses the shackled man lightly, then slides his tongue between worried lips, he pulls away for a second. "You shouldn't bite your lips Os. It's a bad habit." He says in a voice full of false concern. "Don't move. Don’t speak." Tears blur Oswald’s eyes and his face is positively flushed. When those green-grey eyes look up, it sets a fire in his captor. Those eyes are distant and blurry with tears. “You’re so beautiful.” He starts roaming the pale expanse of Oswald’s chest with his hands. Oswald shivers and wiggles a bit out of discomfort. He makes his way down to the former kingpins bony hips and is about to move lower when his phone rings. “Damn it all.” He mutters a bit before answering. “Miss Falcone... Okay, I'm on my way." He shuts the phone and puts his jacket back on before looking down at his former boss's tear stained face. "I've gotta go see your old subordinate, Mr. Pen. And I have to get there before Gordon." He gets off of the frightened man and puts his jacket back on. He briskly leaves the room. Oswald let’s out a harsh breath and then begins to sob.  
-  
When he makes it to the building, he sees his friend waiting for him. When he starts to walk in, headhunter puts a hand on Victors shoulder. "Hey buddy. I heard you caught the Penguin, didn't tell me, and haven't told me for like, a week." Zsasz looks at his friend. "Can I explain later?" He nods to the building. "We've got a job to do right now."  
"Sure pal." They walk into the building and catch up to Sofia. Then they start shooting the place up when they see Gordon already here with Pen.  
Gordon starts shouting. "Sofia Falcone! I will not be under your thumb anymore!" He ducks behind a wall and sends Mr. Pen with Harvey unnoticed.  
Sofia smiles. "Oh Jim, no matter how much you want to not be, I've still got you in my clutches. Unless you want me to ruin you." She continues walking towards him.  
"Did you tell Zsasz? What you did?" Jim asks. Headhunter looks royally confused. Victor tunes in as if he wasn't listening before. He just looks at Sofia for some sort of answer or command.  
"Tell him what? I'm the boss, why do I have to tell him anything?" Sofia remarks.  
"You don't think he should know that him betraying Penguin, working for you... you don't think he should know that you orchestrated all of it? That you lied? That you killed your own father?!" Her jaw tightens as she sees Victors eyes shift in thought.  
"Victor! Can't you tell he's lying!?" She has stopped walking.  
Victor speaks now, "Sorry for questioning if I'm wrong, but, why would Jim lie? He's a good guy, I don't see a reason for him to lie about this. If you can tell me why he would, I won't question you further." Rage dances behind his eyes, waiting for an answer.  
She stumbles on her words. "He just wants me gone! He'd do anything to have his precious Gotham ruled by anyone but me!" She desperately shouts.  
"See, Sofia, this is why you will never rule Gotham." He says. "You can't talk your way out of this. Penguin definitely could have. Your father wouldn't have needed to. Fish Mooney wouldn't have even misstepped like this." She raises her gun and shoots Gordon in his abdomen. She is quickly disarmed by Victor and Headhunter heads back outside, leaving Sofia to Zsasz's mercy. Jim shouts, "Don't do this Victor!"  
"Fine." Zsasz let's her go. She grabs her gun and runs after the now fleeing detective. Zsasz just walks slowly, following. Soon, Jim is cornered as Victor expected. Sofia shoots him a few more times and aims for the kill shot. A gunshot rings out, but it isn't Sofias. Victor shot Sofia right in the head. "Now you've got more holes in ya Jim. Now you owe me for saving your life." Victor walks closer to Sofias body. "People in Gotham don't seem to stay dead anymore. So, just in case." Zsasz raises his boot and stomps on her skull repeatedly until there a cracking noise and her skull buckles under the pressure. Then he shoots her a few more times. Once in the head again, twice through the heart.  
Jim gasps out, "How's that feel? Over kill won't take back the fact that you betrayed Oswald. That you believed her over him just because she was a Falcone."  
"Shut up Jim." Victor turns and leaves the building. He bumps into Lee. "Might wanna help out Jim. He was shot like 5 times." He tells her then rushes out of the building where he sees Headhunter waiting for him. He stands next to his friend.  
Headhunter starts the conversation. "You got the Penguin."  
Victor nods, "Yes I do. I don't want him dead."  
"What're you doin' to him?" Headhunter leans against the bricks behind him.  
"Training him. Conditioning. But I'm trying to figure out how to do that without destroying his personality as well." Victor says, he puts his hands in his pockets.  
"You coulda just told me that. Can I at least hit him a few times?" Victors eyes narrow at the request.  
The bald man glares as he speaks, "Do you think I'm stupid, Hunter? I know you better than to let you see someone you were hired to kill. I'm guessing you've talked to Jim or something. Otherwise you would've tried to be more slick about it. The answer is no. If Jim asks you anything else, you tell him nothing. If you say anything, if you poke your nose in this anymore, I will hunt YOU." He says this while glaring into his friends eyes.  
Head Hunter laughs but his eyes are serious. "Are we really doing this? Getting at each other's throats over a damn bird. Is it because he was your boss? Didn't think you were the sentimental type bud." Zsasz pulls his gun out and cracks Headhunter on the side of his head. The man holds the bleeding side in one hand. He pulls a gun on Zsasz with the other.  
Victor has his own gun pointed at his friend. "I won't hesitate to hurt you Hunter. Don't push me."  
Headhunter grins. "I thought we was partners. You ain't the boss Victor. Stop talking like you are." He steps closer to Victor. They look at each other like animals sizing each other up for a fight. Zsasz sees his friends eye twitch, a tell that Victor had noticed about his buddy a while ago. His eye involuntarily twitches when he's about to shoot. Zsasz shoots his friend in the hand but Headhunters gun has already fired. A bullet goes into Victors shoulder. He ignores it and shoots his old pals other hand. Headhunter starts gasping at the holes in his hands. Victor then unloads his gun into the mans hands.  
"Now try to shoot me, if your hands ever work again I'll let you shoot me.. That was a lie. If they ever work again, I'll chop them off. Stay out of my way. You're lucky I didn't kill you.”  
"Gh, might as well have. Goddammit.." he lays his limp hands onto his lap. Zsasz holds pressure onto his shoulder and heads across town to 'the basement', he needs to see Oswald.  
——  
Victor quietly enters the room holding his shoulder. Oswald is sitting up, wrapped in the blanket. He asks Victor, "What's the time?" Victor takes off his watch and tosses it onto the mattress. Zsasz doesn't know what to say or do. He just stands there, face pale and arm drenched in his own blood. Oswald turns around. "What happened Victor?" He doesn't really look surprised but he doesn't look like he expected it either. Zsasz doesn't say anything. He grabs the gauze wrap and a washcloth and sits on the couch. "Victor. Is the bullet still in your arm?" The man shrugs. "I bet it is. You have to take it out before wrapping it. Zsasz sighs and reaches into his pocket, he pulls out a relatively small knife. He strips his torso of clothing and wipes the blood from the wound. He looks at it closer and sees part of the bullet glisten.  
"Dammit." That's the only thing he says before he starts digging into the wound with his knife. Oswald cringes at the sight and turns away. After what had to be like 15 minutes of digging and grunting, a clinking noise makes Os turn back around. The bullet lays on the floor, little dots of blood dot the concrete around it. Oswald stands up.  
"Do you want me to help you wrap it?" Victor doesn't respond so Oswald makes his way over to the bald man. His chain rattles along the hard floor. "So, what happened...Zsasz?" He picks up the gauze and starts pulling out over the wound. Victor doesn't speak until his shoulder is completely wrapped up. He pats the seat next to him and Oswald sits.  
"You didn't kill Falcone." Zsasz says.  
An empty laugh leaves the Penguin. "I told you I didn't. But you didn't believe me." The words are bitter and serve to make Victor feel worse. "You know Sofia did it, right?" The former kingpin asks.  
"Sofia is dead." Victor says. "Headhunter pushed me."  
Oswald's eyes are wide. "You killed them?"  
"Hunter is alive. His hands are done for though." Victor sighs again. "He shot me."  
"Will you let me go?" Oswald's thought slips out of his lips. He prepares to be hit or kicked or something. Nothing happens.  
"Not today." The assassin says. Oswald's eyes lighten up but he doesn't speak, he just thinks, 'So some other day then?'  
Victor looks at his captive. "I'm sorry Oswald. For betraying you. Please let me kiss you. Let me have an illusion of love." He seems to be telling the truth. This is really the most earnest he's ever seen Victor. The assassin leans over to Oswald and presses their lips together.  
Oswald kisses back for a second and then pulls back to speak. "Victor. I did like you. I don't think it was love, but I had an interest in you. Things could've been different if you'd said something. What good is love if it's one sided?" He goes back to kissing Zsasz before he can respond. Soon, a tongue caresses the birds lips. He grants entrance and he clumsily tries to reciprocate the kiss. Arms encircle Oswald and the kiss gets more passionate. Oswald makes small noises and Victor can't get enough of them. He nibbles on the pale mans lips and licks down his neck, leaving a trail of hickeys. When he's done with marking Oswald's neck, he just hugs him. He presses his nose into the crook of Oswald's neck and pushes him down so that they are snuggled together on the couch. Zsasz falls asleep next to the one he so desperately loves. Oswald begins plotting in his head.


	7. Phone Call

Sofia is dead and cremated to make sure she doesn't come back. Zsasz doesn't appear in public very often since Sofias death and Headhunter seems to have disappeared. Gordon is in the hospital and kept from searching for the penguin. Harvey is trying to sift through the tons of places that Victor could be keeping Oswald. Weeks pass quickly. Four months pass. Gordon is finally released from the hospital and checks on Harvey's progress on the Penguin kidnapping case.  
-  
The whole GCPD claps when their captain walks through the door. Harvey shouts, "Jim! You're back!" He hugs his partner.  
Jim chuckles a bit at the warm welcome but soon gets serious as they step into his office. Papers are in two piles on the desk. "These the possibilities for the basement?" Jim asks.  
"Yeah. These on the left are the ones I haven't cleared yet." They check several warehouses and old disco clubs within a few hours and head back to the GCPD and to Jims office.  
"There's gotta be some way to narrow it down Harv. There are too many possibilities. It'll take forever to get through all these." A phone rings. Funky town is the ringtone. It's the phone Victor gave him. He answers it on speaker phone and Harvey listens in.  
"Hi Jim. Just thought I should let you know that sometime in the next week, I'll be taking Oswald home. He's become very obedient as of late. Still got an attitude but I like that about him. He's very... resilient. If you plan on finding him, you better work fast. Or not, either way he's mine." Victor says.  
Jim speaks now. "Give me a hint!"  
"I already gave you one. Disco. I like it. Honestly you should've found me already." A shout comes through in the background of the call.  
"What was that? Was it Oswald? Let him talk." Jim demands.  
"I told him to be quiet, I guess he really wants to speak to someone who isn't me. Fine. Come here Os." Victor puts it on speaker phone. A chain can be heard dragging across the floor.  
"Jim? Harvey are you there too?" The penguin speaks. His voice is calm.  
"Oswald! Are you alright?" Jim asks.  
"I'm more than fine Jim. I love being with Victor. I'm safe here." Oswald sounds oddly upbeat.  
"What? Doesn't he hurt you?" Jim and Harvey exchange confused looks.  
"Only when I deserve it. Sometimes I'm bad." Os says.  
"What do you mean bad?" The detective asks.  
"If I try to escape, act rude, or resist him. That kind of thing. I don't know what I'm thinking when I'm bad. It's like my mind is all jumbled. Oh, he says I have to say bye. Hopefully I'll see you in person soon, when he lets me go outside. He promised that he'd let me go outside one day." Jims jaw tightens.  
Victors voice comes through again. "See, he's happy with me. He's safe. I know that won't stop you from trying to take him away from me, but I just thought you should know how he feels. Well anyway, bye Jim. Bye Harvey." The call ends.  
"Stockholm syndrome?" Harvey questions.  
"Gotta be. Okay let's filter out anything without a connection to disco." They do that then split the stack evenly in two. "I'll check out these and you do those." They both head out.  
—-  
The call ends. "Why'd you make me say that? You said it yourself, he won't stop looking." Oswald says, his voice trembling.  
"You don't think it's fun to mess with Jim?" The assassin asks. They are both sitting on the couch. Oswald doesn't respond. "I wasn't lying about taking you home with me though. You'll get to go outdoors for a bit." He doesn't threaten him with words but in his eyes he's saying, 'Don't try anything.'  
"I'm barely anymore under control than when you first stuck me down here. You know I might try something." Oswald says.  
"Are you trying to provoke me? Do I need to make you fear me so much that you wouldn't dare? I don't want to break your mind." Victor says seriously.  
"You can try, nothing's worked yet." He motions to the bite marks and other scars littering his body.  
"I wasn't really trying. I REALLY could. And it would be REALLY fun. For me anyway." Oswald gulps. "See." He motions to the way Oswald is shaking and leans down to the mans ear. "I. Scare. You." He backs up. "Well, you want me to tell you what we're going to do once we're home?" He doesn't wait for a reply. "First, I'll show you around. Give you a tour. Then I’ll take you someplace fancy and we'll have dinner. Then finally," He brings Oswald close and hugs him. "I will make love to you." Oswald had a feeling, but it makes him shudder hearing it from the assassin directly. He keeps the tears from appearing and instead just waits for his captor to let go. "Eventually, how would you like to be the king of Gotham once again?"  
At that, the penguin pushes on his shoulders and searches his eyes for traces of a lie. "Are you being completely serious?" He is smiling, unbeknownst to himself.  
Victor nods. "Under my supervision, of course. To others, we will look the same as before. But I will still own you, and you will obviously have a tracker among other things to ensure that you can't escape me. But you will rule Gotham, I will never betray you again. You will never leave me. That'll be the deal." He says.  
Oswald is a bit giddy. "I know you probably have a timeframe for all of this. When do you think that can happen?" He looks into the black depths of Victors eyes.  
"Whenever you submit to me. When my name has scarred on your flesh." Oswald grimaces but is already formulating a plan.  
He hides his distaste of the requirements and smiles. "I will submit to you. It is a small price to pay for my throne. Where are you going to put your name?" He fakes an enthusiastic face.  
Somehow, Zsasz buys the act and smiles a toothy smile. "I was thinking about putting it on your back but realized you wouldn't be able to see it. I also contemplated putting it under your left eye, but that would be too public for the king of Gotham to brandish. So. I've decided on your chest. Right on top of your heart." Penguin tries to hide his fear.  
The chained man just begins to unbutton the silk shirt he's wearing and looks down at his chest. "Here?" He points to the spot Zsasz spoke of. A sliver box-cutter is produced from seemingly nowhere and the sadist grins as he touches the skin with his hand.  
He gets up, leaving the blade with Os. "I'm gonna go get some gauze and wound disinfectant from a friend." He leaves the room with a big grin.  
Oswald picks up the knife. He scoffs. "A test Victor? It's too early to show my cards." He sets the knife back down like he'd never touched it at all. He folds his shirt and lays it down on the floor. Oswald grabs a washcloth and a bucket from the bathroom in preparation of cleanup. "I don't like bleeding, and I definitely don't want his name forever etched into my skin. But at this point, it's the only way for me to eventually escape. I'll give him this bit of me. I'll even give him my virginity. But I'll never give him my life. Never my mind. Never my heart." He realizes he's been talking aloud and quickly looks around to make sure Victor hadn't somehow been in the doorway during his little monologue. He was still alone. "Let's not do that again."  
"Not do what again?" Victor questions as he locks the door back.  
"Oh, welcome back Victor. I almost tripped." He sighs in relief at his ability to bullshit explanations.  
"Oh, yeah. Let's not do that. This floor would hurt." He places the stuff down on the table. He then goes back to the couch and picks up the knife. He almost looks disappointed.  
"Did you want me to try to stab you? I just said I'd submit. I don't feel like throwing away my chance to reclaim my throne." Oswald says and thinks, 'Even if I stabbed you, I wouldn't be able to escape this room. The woman outside the door has both the key to the door as well as to my anklet. If something were to happen to him, she'd probably end me.'  
"Hm. Okay I guess that's smart. Now, sit here.” He pats the table.  
——  
Jim finally gets home. He goes to his bathroom and opens the cabinet to get his toothbrush and toothpaste. "What the hell?" His package of gauze, rubbing alcohol, and his hydrogen peroxide are gone. There's a pink sticky note on the empty shelf. It reads, 'Borrowing this. If I use it all, I'll be sure to bring replacements. I didn't feel like going to the store. Don't tell anyone, but Ossy is gonna be wearing my name on his heart.' Jim shouts profanities at the note and brushes his teeth furiously.  
——  
Zsasz cleans the area with the rubbing alcohol. Oswald shivers. "It's cold." Os says.  
Victor kisses Oswald briefly and pulls away. He brings out the box-cutters blade. "This is what I use for my tallies. I've never used it on anyone else." He whispers into Oswald's ear, "You're special." He backs up again and examines his work area, Oswald's left breast.  
He places a kiss there as well. Oswald chimes in, "Didn't you just disinfect it?"  
Victor grins and looks at him, "Do you think I'm dirty?" Oswald shuts up.  
The blade is brought to the pale skin that has slightly reddened from his nervousness. Oswald expects a quick slice but is reminded of Victors sadism as the blade cuts through his skin slowly. It's not too bad at first, but the more cuts that are made, the more irritated his skin gets. Soon it's almost unbearable. His nails are digging into the wooden tables edge. Victor stops and tilts his captives head up to look at him. "You're doing good. Really. We're almost halfway done." When the blade passes through the skin into his flesh again, his muscles spasm and a harsh whine followed by a gasp leaves Oswald. When the A in ZSASZ is done, there is so much blood that the cuts themselves aren't even really visible anymore. The blood is wiped and Victor licks away Oswald's tears. "Just two more letters." The smile has never left the sadists face. The S is cut without curves, like a backwards Z. Finally, 'ZSASZ' prominently bleeds from Oswald's chest. He tries to grabs the washcloth but is stopped. Victor hums, "I think it's missing something. I need to put a 'V.' above it. You know, for Victor." Oswald bites back his protest and sits back once more. The V doesn't hurt too bad, it's just two lines. What really hurt was Victor making the period. He made four tiny cuts to form a square then dug the tiny chunk out. Oswald barely resisted smacking his captor. A relieved sigh left his mouth when the warm cloth slid across his newly acquired wounds. Fresh blood quickly started to pour out again. This time instead of a cloth, a wet tongue slides over the cuts. It stings but Oswald decides not to risk angering Victor by stopping him. He brings his hand up and rests it on the assassins head. He gasps when Victor actually sucks on his chest. When Victor retreats from his bloodied name he smiles with an air of satisfaction. His teeth have a slight red tint. He kisses Penguin and pushes his tongue inside to mingle with the birds own. Oswald nearly gags at the metallic taste of his own blood. He kisses back anyway, focused on seeing his plan through. Oswald whispers in between breaths, "Victor- Zsasz , I will never leave you."  
Victor laughs. "I know." He kisses Oswald on the cheek. "I love you, Oswald Cobblepot." The bird blushes at the sincere words. The cuts are cleaned and bandaged. Victor starts to put on his jacket but Oswald stops him.  
"You're gonna leave? Why don't you sleep here tonight. It gets lonely Victor." Zsasz thinks for a second then pulls his jacket back off. He strips until he's just wearing his tank and black pants. His clothes are folded and placed on the chair. He walks to the door and tells the henchwoman something. He returns and sits down onto the mattress.  
"Okay I'm staying. I just told her to order a pizza." Victor says.  
Oswald sits down next to him. "What kind of pizza?"  
"Pepperoni. Do you like pepperoni?" He'd never even thought about whether or not Oswald liked pepperoni pizza. To his great relief, Oswald nods. They sit in a comfortable silence until the pizza arrives. They also eat in relative quiet. After eating they lay down. Victor snuggles up behind Oswald. He breaks the silence with a question. "Is it possible to get you to love me Oswald?"  
"Maybe? If I'm honest Victor, I don't know. You've put me through a lot, but I've also seen a sincere part of you that I didn't know existed. I can tell you for certain that I love that side of you." He lies. 'I do really like that part of you, but I will never love any part of you.' He thinks.  
"That's alright I guess. I understand. I'm pretty unique." Zsasz comments.  
Oswald snickers at that. "That's putting it mildly." He laughs a bit more as he snuggles back against Victors chest and closes his eyes. Oswald falls asleep first but after an hour of listening to his favorite persons slow breathing, he too, succumbs to his heavy eyelids.


	8. I like it

Jim walks down an alley and sees the old disco clubs sign. Jim thinks this has gotta be where Oswald is. Victors hint made sense now, he kept mentioning disco and then saying 'I like it.' The clubs name is 'I Like it!'  
He takes a deep breath. "Okay, here we go, please still be here Penguin." He bashes in the locked door and heads through a little hallway. There's a bar on the left but on the right there is a shot staircase and a door that doesn’t fit its surroundings. It looks like there wasn't originally a door there. It's a heavy duty metal door with a note on it, addressed to Zsasz. 'Out for lunch at Johns Café. If you need the key come get it.' "Well I guess they were pretty confident that I wouldn't get in." He pulls out his phone and calls Harvey.  
"What's up partner?" He asks.  
"I found the place, but I can get through this door. One of Victors henchwomen has the key, she's at Johns Café. Send a unit to my location to keep Zsasz out while we get the key. I'm at the abandoned disco club 'I Like It'. See you soon Harv." Jim doesn't alert Penguin to his presence because he doesn't want to risk Oswald somehow contacting the Zsasz. He goes to the Café and sees the woman he's looking for, leather, short hair, one eyebrow. Definitely not a regular bystander. When she sees Jim she stands and exits the other door to run. He catches up with her after a block or two and tackles the lady. He dodges when she swings at him with a knife. He twists her arms behind her. Then he cuffs the defeated woman and walks her back to where he parked his car. He finds two keys on her, along with a multitude of blades and two guns. He pushes her into the backseat and gets in the drivers side. On the way back, he questions her about the two keys. "Why are there two keys?" He asks, not really expecting her to talk.  
She speaks, "Two keys, a big one for the door and a little one for the shackle." Jim’s eyebrows shoot up.  
"Why are you so willing to snitch?" He was curious.  
"I knew you'd find the little brat eventually. Victor hasn't been himself since he nabbed the bird. He's always talking about the little man. It's annoying. Don't make it obvious that I snitched. He won't be happy about it." She sighed like she had just wanted to let the pent up frustration out.  
"Well since you're probably going to jail as an accomplice to kidnapping, I don't think you should worry about him." They pull into the now cop surrounded area. He leaves the car and heads back in. Harvey is standing by the door. "Hey Harv." He says holding up a key.  
"Are you nervous Jim? I'm nervous." The key goes into the lock and is turned. A loud click and the door is unlocked. Jim opens the door slowly. He sees Oswald's back, spine and ribs jutting out grossly. The man has always been thin, but this is extreme.  
"Vict-" Oswald turns around. His eyes are wide. He looks a mixture of excitement, terror, and worry. "Oh, Jim, Harvey. Welcome to my personal hell. But really you can't be here. Leave." He tells them. He stands up and walks to the small table. Chain rattling with every move he makes. Blood has soaked through the bandage.  
Jim starts approaching him. "Oswald? I thought you had Stockholm syndrome? You seem to be perfectly capable of disliking your situation. Can I free your ankle?" Oswald pulls his shirt on but doesn't button it.  
"No. Leave, I have to change this." He gestures to the bloody bandage on his chest.  
"You know we can't do that Oswald. I'm gonna walk over to you, alright?" Oswald eyes him warily. "What did he do you you?"  
"This." He takes the bloody thing off of his chest and wipes it with the washcloth. 'V. ZSASZ' stands out painfully.  
"Holy mother of god.." Harvey says in a whisper.  
Jim cringes and continues toward the man. "Look, we can get you professional care. Not those drug store bandages and disinfectant.” 'That's why he stole my stuff, goddammit.' He thinks.  
"No! Jim, listen. I have a plan. I'm gonna get out of this. I just need you to leave. The hospital isn't safe, the GCPD isn't safe, Arkham isn't safe. There's nowhere you can take me that he won't get me. So leave. I'm in less danger if I just stay here. He's probably outside somewhere watching for when you bring me out."  
"I have a plan too Oswald. Listen, if you don't think it'll work then you can stay here." He lies the last bit. There's no way he'd leave Oswald here.  
"Tell." He puts another bandage on.  
"So, you're going to keep up the Stockholm syndrome act, when we head to the car, you're going to thrash and scream at us, telling us that you need to stay with Zsasz. We have men that are going to cover us with shields the whole way to the heavy transport vehicle. We will be safe in that. We will go to the GCPD and put you in an interrogation room. The doctors will see you in there. Victor will be blocked out if the GCPD. We aren't how we used to be. If anyone spots him, he's to be apprehended. Oswald. I promise, he won't get you back." The bird buttons up his shirt and sits in the chair. He partially unzips his pant leg.  
The anklet is presented to Jim. "Alright, let's do this. If this doesn't work. When MY plan does, and I'm the king of Gotham again, I'll have Zsasz condition you to be my underling." Jim just sighs at the threat and unlocks the anklet. 'It will work.' Jim reassures himself. They walk out of the building and guys with huge shields cover them. Oswald screams manically, he shouts Victors name and even cries. Jim gets in the back of the transport vehicle with Oswald and two armed swat team members. Harvey goes to the car the henchwoman was supposed to be in. The backseat is empty. Harvey just mutters a 'Fuck..' but gets in the car and follows the big van. Everything goes according to plan. Oswald now sits in an interrogation room with Jim and a lady doctor. The bandage he had just put on is already bleeding through. It's removed and the lady gasps but quickly composes herself and starts cleaning it. She bandages it by wrapping gauze around his chest and over his shoulder to put some pressure on the cuts. When she examines him further she presses on his ribs. Oswald shouts in pain and then asks, "Are they broken?" His ribs hadn't been hurting too much lately but the pressure had just renewed it.  
"I think they were broken. But it seems they've been healing pretty well. How long ago did this happen?"  
Oswald shrugs. "Jim do you know how long I was gone?"  
"I guess almost 6 months, half a year." Jim states. She 'ohs' and wraps his ribs too. Then she leaves. Jim doesn't want to say anything about the hickeys but accidentally stares at them.  
"They are indeed hickeys Jim. Please don't stare at them so hard. It makes me feel gross." Penguin says without making eye contact.  
Jim begins, "I'm sorry, I know you probably don't want to talk about it... but I need to get a report of what happened while you were there. Could you try to go over what happened with me, or do you want to speak to someone else?" Jim says, feeling like an asshole for doing his job.  
"I'd rather talk to an old friend like you, than some random cop. Everyone else probably thinks I just got what I deserved. A bird that got caught by a beast."  
Jim looks at the empty report questions. "Can we start?" Oswald nods. "How did you come to be in Victors possession?"  
"Edward Nygma drugged me and handed me over. They made a deal."  
'I know what the deal was so I won't ask about that.' Jim thinks before speaks again. "Was Victor Zsasz violent to you?"  
"Yes, when I did things he didn't like. Or simply to prove a point. Or to brand me." Oswald responds.  
"Was anything Victor Zsasz did.. Sexual in nature?" Jim grimaces.  
"Yes... he hadn't gone completely through with it. I'm still a virgin.. it was just, touching, kissing, and.. ugh.. he, he made me.. suck.. it.. a few times..." Oswald fights tears and tries not to get nauseous.  
Jim feels guilt well up in his belly. "Was he verbally abusive?" Jim asks.  
"Sometimes. Sometimes he could be very cruel and bring up past betrayals, my mother, or the worst..J-Jerome. Other times he would talk about love and seem genuinely sweet." Oswald says.  
"Jerome?" Jim inquires.  
"That clown was a demon in Arkham. He has the guards under his thumb there. He's planning something with Scarecrow and Tetch. Well I guess you could say he owned me in there. He didn't let anyone else mess with me. At first I thought I had made a friend, but I soon realized that he just wanted me to owe him something. He began making demands. They were petty things at first, give him my lunch. Steal something. Make a distraction. But they became increasingly intimate. A guard let him into my cell. I was cuffed, he wasn't. He made me.. service.. him. That became normal. I began expecting to be degraded every few nights. It was humiliating. When Victor found out, he seemed sympathetic. Most often he was. But sometimes he would bring it up if I had an attitude. Say things like, 'were you this defiant with the clown?' It hurt. A lot... Jerome's planning to escape. I don't want him to find me. That was the only good thing about being with Victor. If Jerome really did get out, he wouldn't be able to find me. Now that's out the window. He told me, before Ed broke me out. 'I'm getting out of here Pengy. I want you with me when I burn this city.' He's definitely gonna come looking for me. I'm gonna have to join him. You are going to have to trust me, I might work with him, but I'll come by. I don't support what he's planning." Oswald finally gets it all out.  
"That's horrible Oswald. I'm sorry you've gone through that.. I think that's enough questions for now. I'll send a unit to Arkham tomorrow and make sure security is tight."  
Just then a guard comes in the door. "There's been a breakout at Arkham! All units are headed there!" The man yells before running off again.  
"Shit. The swat team is still out side so you should be safe. I've gotta go." Jim locks the door then rushes out of the building. Oswald is left alone for what seems like hours. He falls asleep.


	9. Whiskey or Wine?

A call transpires between an assassin and a clown.  
"I know you'll manage to get to Penguin before me. Let's make a deal." Victor is tense, he hates this maniac and doesn't trust him one bit, but he has no choice at the moment.  
"A deal? Man, you get right to the point. That's awfully boring." Jerome snickers.  
"I'll give you Gordon if you give me Oswald." Victor states.  
"I can get Gordon without your help. Why do you want Oswald anyway?" Jerome asks.  
"A personal project. And if you say no, I'll kill Jim. I'd guess that would make your plans a bit less fun." Zsasz grits his teeth.  
"Hmph. You're a real party pooper you know that? I guess I'll have to agree to this deal of yours." Jerome grumbles.  
"I'll collect him at the mansion in a few hours." Victor says.  
"Aw, well can I at least have weekend visits?" Jerome asks the assassin. Victor doesn't respond. Jerome shouts through the receiver. "I'll keep in touch Zsaszy!" His laughter carries throughout the building. Jerome has no intention of letting Victor have the bird. It's just so much fun to play with the man. The call ends.  
\---  
"Knock Knock." The interrogation rooms door is bashed open. Manical laughter fills the space. Oswald is wide awake now. He stares at the man in disbelief. "Well Hiya Pengy." Jerome looks at the report. "Daww, you been talkin' 'bout me?" He then looks closer at the report. "Woah! I didn't know Victor had a thing for you." He laughs. "I can see why though." He whistles. "Well. Up ya get. We've got the destruction of a city to plan." Oswald flinches when a hand is put out for him. He doesn't take it. He stands up on his own and simply follows the obnoxious man. Oswald is scared out of his wits.  
\---  
Jim encourages his team and they head out. Jim deals with Tetch and when everyone is safe, he and Harvey head back to the GCPD. A woman outfitted in her uniform runs up to them. "Oswald Cobblepot is gone!"  
Jims eyes widen. "Valeska. Shit." He heads back out the door. "Stay here Harv."  
He gets in his car and is about to drive off when a gun is brought to his head. Edwards voice greets him. "Victor wants to see you Jim."  
"Goddammit Nygma! You're still listening to that sadist?!"  
"He threatened to kill me. So here I am. Drive." They eventually arrive at a warehouse in the narrows. Ed unarms Jim. "Here we are." Once inside, they are greeted by Zsasz sitting in a chair.  
"I told you to back off Jim. I expected that you wouldn't but now the situation is worse than before. Jerome has my penguin. I assume you know what Jerome has done to Oswald in the past. In Arkham. I'm not exactly positive that I can best Jerome on my own. He's a slippery guy and Oswald is gonna be Surrounded by dangerous people that I'd rather not fight. So we are going to work together Jim. If you refuse, I put a bullet in your brain." He draws his gun and points it at Jim. "So. What's it gonna be?"  
Jim gulps. "Well you've got me cornered here. Obviously I have to say yes." Zsasz holsters his gun but maintains his frown.  
"You see Jim, I feel robbed. I can't even find it in me to smile at my control over you. You've really gotten under my skin." Victor says.  
"So what." Jim says. Victor doesn't respond. He just thinks, 'Jerome wants you. A trade is already in order.'  
\---  
"First of all. You need a new outfit my dear." Jerome comments to Oswald in a van full of horribles.  
Scarecrows raspy voice speaks. "I have an extra mask."  
"No. He needs something snazzier. No offense, Johnathan." Jerome says.  
"None taken." The fear reaper responds.  
"How about a hat?" Tetch suggests. "I think he would look wonderful in a top hat." Jervis giggles and claps his hands.  
"I'll think about it." Jerome says. "Why don't we ask him what he wants to wear?" He turns to the man in question.  
Oswald is trying not to look as scared as he feels. "I have some suits at my mansion."  
"Wonderful!" Jerome claps his hands. "That's where we're headed anyway." He laughs and wraps an arm around the former kingpin. They arrive and hop out of the van. Penguin limps his way up to his room. Jerome follows behind.  
"Um. Jerome." Oswald stops at his door.  
"Yes Pengy?" Jerome stops as well.  
"You're following me." He states.  
"Yes. I am." Jerome says with an amused tone.  
"Why?" Oswald asks.  
"Can't have you picking out the wrong outfit. Plus, I'm simply starved of your, private, attention." Jerome's voice gets low with an implied threat.  
"Another time. Please Jerome." He pleads.  
"Oh alright. But I really am going to make sure you pick the right outfit." They walk into the room. Jerome locks the door behind them. It startles Oswald but he acts indifferent. "Come here Oswald. I want to see what that terrible Zsasz has done to you." Jerome sits on the giant beds edge. Oswald reluctantly walks over to the intimidating guy. Jerome unbuttons Oswald's silk shirt. He trails his gloved hands down the mark covered neck. He stops where the bandaging starts. "Now what might this be?" He rubs the gauze that's over Oswald's chest. No answer. "That was a question Os." He looks into Oswald's eyes.  
"He cut his name into my chest." Oswald says it almost too fast.  
"That's quite the turn off. Another mans name on my precious Penguin." He pulls out his switchblade and cuts the gauze off. He glares at the name there. Quicker than Oswald can react, there's a slash through the 'V.' and another through 'ZSASZ'. Oswald pulls his body away and shouts in pain. Blood pours newly from his chest and Oswald falls to his knees and tries to stop the bleeding. "Much better." Jerome stands and moves to tower over the bird. "Now, how 'bout that special attention." The clinking of a belt sends a shiver down Oswald's spine. He is completely at this mans mercy.  
\---  
An hour passes and they both exit the room. Oswald is wearing one of his least colorful outfits. Jerome thinks that the contrast between their two outfits is simply wonderful. Oswald feels more hopeless than ever before in his life and that's saying a lot. Throughout the past months he's gone from being played with by Sofia, to Arkham having to deal with Jerome, then when he's finally free, he's betrayed by Nygma and given to a Zsasz, after he's free from Zsasz, he's stuck with Jerome again. This couldn't get worse. He thinks, 'At least Zsasz was in love with me. I'm just an outlet for sexual relief to Jerome.' His throat feels raw and his chest stings with renewed vigor after his recent confrontation with the clown. 'At least he let me brush my teeth.' They sit at his dining room table for the mandatory brunch. 'Freeze looks like he wants to kill me. Firefly is acting like I don't exist. Is Scarecrow looking at me? I can't really tell.' Jervis is intimately focused on his watch. Oswald doesn't so much as look at Jerome throughout the meeting. They are all told their roles. Oswald has no reason to leave the mansion so he stays seated as everyone else files out of the room. Soon it's just him and Jerome again. Jerome puts his hands on Oswald shoulders and leans close. "You've gotten much better at our 'activities'. Practice?" He backs up laughing. "Well I've got a few hours to kill. I'll wait here with you, for Victor. Let's drink." He pulls out a whiskey bottle and a wine bottle. He sets them on the table. "A game, Oswald. One of these has a knock out drug in it, the other doesn't. Choose one and I'll drink the other." He places his blade on the table. Oswald thinks, 'If he's knocked out, I can kill him. That's the game.' He looks at the two bottles. Whiskey, his favorite drink. Versus Wine. Tetch tried to poison me with wine at one point. Whiskey. He starts to reach for it but stops himself. 'Wait, Whiskey seems like the obvious answer. What is it? There's gotta be a reason I shouldn't drink it.' Then it hits him. 'Ed gave me whiskey before I ended up with Victor. He gave me a knockout drug with Whiskey.' He takes the wine. Jerome takes the whiskey. Os pours himself a glass of the wine and Jerome does the same with the whiskey. After they've both finished they sit in silence, both waiting for the other to get tired.  
Shock consumes Oswald when his eyelids try to fall. "What? It was the wine?"  
Jerome lets out a haunting laugh. "Yes it was the wine. Jervis tried to poison your wine, remember?"  
Oswald is still confused. "Yes I remember. But I thought it was the whiskey because Ed gave me whiskey with a knockout drug in it."  
Jerome laughs again. "That Riddler man drugged you? That's comedy. I had no idea."  
Oswald's heart sinks as the feeling in his fingers numbs. "I thought it was just a knockout drug! Why am I going numb?"  
"I had Johnathan make it. It probably has a few extra properties. I wouldn't worry too much." Jerome pockets his knife. Soon, Oswald falls into a paralyzed sleep. "Time to go buddy ole pal." He tosses Oswald over his shoulder and exits the mansion. "Let's have some fun."


	10. Frustration and Intoxication.

Zsasz arrives at the mansion with Gordon in tow. Jim just thinks that they are here to see if there's any sign of where Jerome has Oswald. Or if they're lucky, the penguin will be here. Zsasz is privy to a completely different scenario. He's here to trade Jim for his precious bird. Which is exactly why Victor gets increasingly frustrated as they search the house for 'clues'. No one is here. They head up to the bedroom, now Zsasz is just playing out the lie he'd told Jim. 'He had to've changed clothes.' In the bedroom they see blood on the floor and what can only be assumed to be semen on a black silk shirt. "The shirt that I so graciously provided Oswald with was used as a cum towel, great." Jim is a bit overwhelmed at the crass statement. "How did Oswald attract this kind of attention from such a maniac?" Victor mutters.  
Jim actually scoffs. "Like you can talk! You cut your name into him! That's kind of a 'maniac' move wouldn't you say so?"  
Victor glares down at Jim. "I'm an eccentric, not a maniac. Cutting my name into him is barely worse than people tattooing their lovers names on their body. So, unconventional sure, but not crazy."  
"Well if you want to know how he got on Jerome's radar. Think about it. How did he get on your radar Victor?" Jim suggests as they head out of the room and the mansion.  
"Little things he did. Biting his thumb when thinking or nervous. His temper tantrums. His constant metaphorical talk. The way he would flutter his eyelashes in annoyance or intrigue. At first, I was annoyed that I noticed those things at all." They get back in the car. "Then I realized how much I either loved his actions or completely hated them. Everything he did would somehow set my teeth on edge. His obsession over Nygma nearly killed me. I was so angry that he had the other Victor freeze him instead of just letting me kill the bastard." Then Victor seems to realize something. "Yes, Oswald got Jerome's attention. With me, those things fed my love for the bird. With Jerome, they fed his lust for the bird. He doesn't love Oswald, he purely longs after him. I'm not sure Jerome is capable of such an advanced emotion such as love. He's just running on his instinct. He'll probably get bored soon enough." Jim is flabbergasted at how much the assassin will speak if it's about the penguin. Zsasz drops Jim off at his house and continues his own search for the bird. He's got a bone to pick with Jerome.  
\---  
Oswald wakes up in the back of the van. His head is on Tetch's lap. He feels a hand pet his hair and he tries to jolt up. He barely manages to lift his head. It falls back onto the hatter's lap. Scarecrow speaks up, "You shouldn't try to move yet, you could make the paralysis permanent. You're probably wondering what's going on. I'll explain. You've been asleep for around four hours. Jerome is looking for his brother. He met his abusive uncle and got an address. He's shot up an office and killed a few people, he found his brother's proxy. Now we're here. When you can walk, we are going in to retrieve them." Johnathan explains.  
Freeze comments, "Do you guys care if I talk to Oswald for a moment? If not. Please step outside for a moment." The others simply exit the truck at the icy mans request. Oswald still can't speak. "Oswald. I can tell you don't want to go through with what Jerome is planning." He whispers the next part. "Though I am quite understandably upset with you for breaking your promise to me, I should warn you. Jerome isn't as dumb as he lets on. Stop making your distaste so obvious. If you keep acting the way you've been acting, you will be killed. And you will stay dead. Now, they need to think that I got some sort of revenge on you. I'm gonna put you on the floor and kick you three times. Alright?" Oswald can't speak but his eyes widen and he does what little thrashing he can. After he is put on the floor and kicked, the doors are opened again. Oswald is wheezing a bit. Freeze is nonchalant.  
Scarecrow looks at the bird, then to Freeze. "You left him on the floor?" He rasps out. "Jerome wouldn't like for his suit to be dirtied."  
Tetch chimes in, "Indeed. Appearances are important. Since you put him there, you should move him Freeze. It's only fair." They continue to talk about him like he can't hear them. Freeze just sighs and lifts the man back onto the seat. Jervis goes back to petting his hair and Johnathan might have gone to sleep, can't really tell. Freeze just maintains a perpetually bored look on his face. When Tetch starts humming, Oswald has had enough and wills his body to move. He sits up, disoriented. "Stop humming. Please." Oswald rubs his temples. He's got the worst headache.  
Jervis giggles and stands up. "I suppose we made our entrance." They get out of the van and upon seeing Oswald limp, Scarecrow seems to remember something. He walks to the front of the truck and gets something from the front seat.  
Scarecrow hands Oswald his cane. "Here. You probably need this." Oswald takes it and they head inside. They meet up with Jerome, blocking Jeremiah. Tetch and scarecrow get chased by Harvey and Jim, Jerome lets his brother go. Then, they get the fuck out of dodge.  
-  
They are driving down the road when they see bunch of figures blocking the road, guns out. Victor Zsasz at the front. They screech to a stop. A car pulls up behind and is soon followed by multiple cop cars. Jim and Harvey step out. Surrounded. Victor shouts, “Just give me Oswald! Jerome!” Smoke grenades are thrown from the truck and purple gas begins pouring out. Everyone backs up leaving room for the van to speed away. Victor hops on his motorcycle and follows. He watches from a distance as freeze is dropped off, then others every once in a while. ‘Now it should just be Jerome and my precious penguin.’ The van pulls behind a diner and parks. The door opens and Jerome comes out but when he tries to shut it, Oswald shoves him and starts running. Victor whistles to get Oswald’s attention and drives at him on his bike. Victor shoots and hits Jerome’s leg as he was just about to get up. Victor shoots him a few more times quickly. Arm, hand, crotch. Jerome screams as Victor helps Oswald onto the motorcycle and speeds off.  
“Where are we going?” Oswald asks, shouting over the wind.  
“Home.” Victor states. They ride for nearly an hour before they pull into a small garage. ‘I can’t believe that Victor lives in the suburbs.’ The garage door closes and Victor hops off, then holds his hand out for Oswald. He takes it and gently gets off of the motorcycle. “Welcome Oswald.” He opens the door to the rest of the house and motions for Oswald to go in.  
“It’s nice.” He says as he looks around and notices many different small glass penguins decorating shelves and side tables. Other than that, it’s a pretty bland house. Doesn’t really looked lived in besides the blanket on the couch and a single cup on a table. Then, Oswald notices something. Two bowls in the corner. “Do you have a pet?!” Victor nods and starts checking seemingly random places around the house. Then he reaches behind a pillow and lifts up an absolutely hideous cat. “It. It doesn’t have hair. It’s so ugly Victor.” Victor shoots Penguin a look.  
“Not having hair makes something ugly?” Zsasz feigns hurt.  
“Not You Victor. But the cat, just a little, yeah.” Victor lets the cat go and it slowly approaches Os. It sniffs him and walks away. “Not impressed I suppose. What’s its name?”  
“Donna.” Victor says while sitting down on the couch.  
“What’s wrong Victor?” He sits down as well.  
“My plans. They have to wait. We can’t risk you being seen.” He pouts.  
“I’m not going anywhere, we have time.” Oswald says. ‘Not with Jerome still out there. Nothing seems to kill him.’  
“Would you like to sleep? Or stay up a while longer?” Victor asks.  
“I would like a drink.” Oswald scoots closer Victor. They drink for a while talking about Jim, Falcone, and other random things. “Now I’d like to sleep. Since I’m good and medicated.” Victor stands up and leads Oswald by the hand to his bedroom. On the way Os glances into one of the other rooms. He’s too intoxicated to understand what he’s seeing. Whips and chains. Leather. Red walls. A bed. He is stripped of his suit and covered in comfy blankets. Victor goes to the door and presses a sequence into a keypad. It locks. ‘Even now. Imprisoned.’ He dozes as Victor spoons him.


	11. R&R

When Oswald wakes up, he’s alone. ‘Thank god..’ Oswald sits up and examines his surroundings. The room has grey walls, a small closet, and a bathroom to the side. He gets up and tries to open the door. Locked. He walks to the bathroom. A walk in shower, a toilet, and a sink with a mirror above it. The walls are bare of decorations. One spot on the wall looks to have once had a window, but no longer. There’s a note on the mirror written in dry erase marker, ‘Had to go take care of some business. You can shower and dress with the clothes I’ve left you. Sorry I locked you in but I can’t risk you leaving. You can watch TV while you wait for me. I’ll make breakfast when I get back.’ Oswald erases it and turns the shower water on. He hops in when it’s hot enough. It burns his chest but he ignores it and just enjoys the heat on his skin. Oswald scrubs his body down, careful of Victors name. The bottles are all arctic themed with penguins on them. He almost laughs about it. His hair is next, shampoo foams up on his head as he massages it in. He does the same with the conditioner before he rinses off completely and steps out. He grabs the fluffy blue towel hanging from the doorknob and drys off. He waddles to the bedroom and looks at his outfit. Pajama pants with penguins and a long sleeve shirt with an umbrella on it. There’s underwear and socks to Oswald’s surprise. Short boxer briefs decorated with Zs. Obviously meaning Zs for sleep but he doesn’t miss the double meaning for Zsasz’s. The socks are crew cut and solid black. He puts the clothes on and sits on the bed. He’s slightly irritated about the lack of hair gel and comb. He’ll have to bring it up. Though Victor will probably realize it upon seeing the nest on his head. Oswald picks up the remote and turns the TV on and starts flipping through channels. Chaos seems to be the only thing displayed on the news. Jerome is apparently alive still, and isn’t acting hurt at all besides a limp. That smile ever present. Jim is running around like a chicken with its head cut off with Harvey in tow. Os hears a motorcycle and the garage door opening. He feels the urge to fake sleep but ignores it in favor of his hunger for food. Footsteps come down the hall and stop at the door. Beeps are followed by the door clicking open and the bald man entering the room. “Good morning Ozzie. I’m ba-”  
Penguin scowls at the pet name. “Don’t call me that.”  
Zsasz leaves the room and comes back in. “Good morning Oswald... Better?”  
“Better.” Oswald slides off the edge and walks up to Victor. He pauses for a second then hugs the taller man. Victor stiffens slightly before relaxing into the hold and hugging back. Penguin goes to pull back but Zsasz holds tighter.  
“Just a bit longer.” Victors body feels so hot against Oswald. Victor smells like gunpowder and fresh mint. Oswald smells like shampoo and soap. They remain in the slightly awkward embrace for longer than Oswald is comfortable with, especially when he notices that Zsasz is aroused. He is released slowly from the mans arms. “Hungry?” Victor asks. Oswald nods and follows as Victor leaves the room. “Im making pancakes, sausage, bacon, and eggs as well as a fruit bowl, and bagels with cream cheese.” Oswald remembers sharing meals with Zsasz at the mansion sometimes. ‘How things change.’  
“Sounds Good.” Oswald says as they arrive in the kitchen.  
Victor starts pulling the ingredients out. “You can wander around while I cook if you would like to.” Oswald does so immediately. Picking up the little glass penguins and examining them. He flicks the TV on, he’s surprised to see Victors face on the news. “Victor Zsasz wanted at GCPD for questioning.” Victor pops his head into the room at hearing his name. He frowns as Jim appears on screen talking about Penguins alleged kidnapping and Victors involvement in it. Penguin changes the channel when he sees the darkness building in Victors eyes. A nature documentary on Orcas.  
“It’s almost funny how in nature, the most beautiful creatures are often the most deadly. Don’t you think Victor?” Zsasz’s eyes clear up and he smiles.  
“Most definitely. Better get back to cooking..” He goes back to making breakfast but first sends one of his girls a text. ‘Put a tail on Gordon for me.’ Oswald watches the Orcas strategically knock the seals off of the icebergs to eat them. ‘A bit like me.. got too confident on my iceberg.. then it slid right out from under me.. now I’m swimming with an Orca..’ He sighs and walks down the hall to the other rooms. He turns on the light in one. Another bathroom. He walks to the next room. When he opens the door the cat trots out. ‘What was its name again?’ A bedroom turned into a cat room. A few cat trees and a weird tube. Toys are all over the floor and litter box sits in the corner. He turns off the light and leaves. The last room is locked. ‘Wasn’t this open last night?’ He decides to just ask Victor so he goes to the kitchen.  
“Excuse me Victor. What’s in the last room? It’s locked.” He looks at Victor.  
“That’s a special room. I won’t tell you what it is just yet. It’ll be a surprise.” Victor is beaming. Penguin isn’t sure if he likes surprises. The smell of bacon makes Oswald even hungrier. He inches close to the bacon that is on a plate. “You can have one. Just one.” Oswald picks the biggest looking piece and goes back to the living room. He relaxes (as much as he can in a house with a man who kidnapped him)until breakfast is done. They eat in relative silence. Victor normally isn’t that much of a talker and Penguin doesn’t really like talking to his captor unless it’s about his eventual “freedom”. The cat hops onto Victors lap at one point to catch a whiff of the bacon so Victor gingerly places her back on the floor. The assassin is capable of extreme violence but also extreme gentleness it would seem.  
——  
Jim finishes the interview and heads to the precinct. He’s already exhausted and the day has just begun. ‘Zsasz is not going to be happy about that interview.’ He plops into his chair. They managed to get quite a bit of evidence from the basement that Oswald was kept in, but since Zsasz isn’t in the system there’s a lot of extra paperwork to be done. This city is on the brink of a disaster. No one is running the underworld so gang wars are happening everywhere. Jerome and the others are plotting something. Penguin and Zsasz just up and disappeared. Saying the GCPD is overwhelmed is an understatement.  
——  
A month passes  
——  
Penguins has been liking this version of Zsasz better. He hasn’t tried anything too bad as of late. Cuddling and such is easily tolerated with his goal in mind. He still doesn’t know what’s in the back room. Zsasz has been getting a bit more handsy but Oswald plays his part. No one can act as well as Penguin when he’s after something. He snuggles into Victors side. “Would you like to go out to dinner tonight Oswald?” Victor asks.  
“Of course Victor. I’m absolutely dying to leave this house.” Oswald smiles. ‘Plan in motion.’ He knows this also means he’ll lose his virginity but it is a necessary sacrifice.  
“You don’t like my house?” Victor Feigns hurt before grinning. “I know. It’s been pretty boring around here. Donna thinks so too.” His cat meows up at him, hearing her name. It’s only noon so Penguin figures he’ll sleep away his nerves with a nice nap. Victor feels obligated to stay where he is since Oswald is leaning on him to sleep. He thinks there’s a chance that Penguin is starting to like him. Victor cards his fingers through the soft black hair.  
Oswald wakes slowly. Victor is nudging him. “Time to wake up. We need to get ready.” Penguin stretches. He turns and kisses Victor gently before getting up. He goes the bathroom and turns on the shower. Brushing his teeth while the water heats up, he hears Victor come in. He rinses and spits before sliding past Victor and undresses. He hides his heavy discomfort. He steps into the shower and listens as Victor brushes his teeth and removes his outfit with care, folding each piece nicely. The glass shower door opens and he is joined. Hands run down his sides. Oswald fakes a small giggle. He lathers himself in body wash. “Would you like me to wash your back?” Victor asks.  
“Yes please.” Penguin tries to welcome the touch. His own hand unconsciously traces the scar on his chest. As the soap is rinsed off, Victor mouths at his neck. “Oh.” Oswald surprisedly moans, leaning away out of instinct. Hands trail down to his ass. He gulps quietly. His entrance is slowly breached and he forces himself to accept the intrusion. ‘To be the king of Gotham. I have to endure.’ He can’t stop negative thoughts. ‘Is that really worth this humiliation?’ Water runs by the finger inside him. A pause, Victor takes a deep breath in and removes it. Victor busies himself by scrubbing his own body with the nice smelling soap. Taking his leave, Oswald steps out. He grabs a towel and heads to their room. A suit lays on the bed. One of his suits from what feels like a lifetime ago. He strokes the fine fabric in reminiscence.


	12. Release

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut later in this chap. Should say dubious consent because of obvious reasons I guess. Just a warning if that ain’t yo thang.

As he puts the final touches on his hair and looks at himself in the mirror, he feels a deep and nearly painful longing in his heart. ‘No. No looking back. It’s not as though I can change it anyway. I’ll get through it. I always get through it.’ He breathes deep and puts on a smile. Victor pushes the door open. He’s dried off but is completely naked. He smiles at Oswald before he begins putting on his own outfit. A nice, silky, solid black tux with a blue bow tie. He pulls on slick black gloves and fits his rings on over the fabric. “Ready?” Victor asks. Oswald nods and follows the man to the front door.  
Oswald is slightly confused as he’s led out the front door and not to the garage. The crisp air hits his face and he feels as though he’s lost his breath. A limousine sits waiting. He hasn’t had the luxury in so long it feels. He turns to Victor and laughs a bit. “Feels a bit like old times!” He grabs Victors face and gives him a quick peck. Victor smiles and leads the way to the limo, he opens the door for Oswald and the former kingpin lets in a slight breath of the familiar atmosphere as he slides into the vehicle. The cool leather brings back memories from his reign. He had so much power and took it all for granted. Victor slides in after him and sits close. As Zsasz wraps an arm around Oswald, the vehicle pulls away from the house. Oswald watches the outside world pass by through the window glass. It’s a long ride and Oswald begins to doze. Victor squeezes his shoulder. “Don’t fall asleep on me, we’re almost there.” He strains to keep his eyes open and soon enough they pull into a parking lot. He can’t see the name since they are at the back of the building. Victor removes his hand from Oswald’s shoulder and opens the car door. He gets out smoothly and offers a hand out to Oswald. Oswald blushes and gently grasps the offered hand, slipping out into the crisp air. Victor entwines their fingers and leads them to the back door where they are let inside by a staff member. The place is clean and looks expensive. The worker is all smiles as they lead the couple to a private booth. It has a curtain and once they are both seated and their menus are placed in front of them, it is pulled closed.  
“Wow, there’s a lot to choose from.” Oswald says.  
“That’s one of my favorite things about this place, there’s always something to eat for whatever you might be craving.” Victor gives a charming smile.  
Oswald blushes at Victors genuine happiness. “May I drink?” Oswald hasn’t been able to really drink as he’d like since his kidnapping.  
“Yes but also drink lots of water, I don’t want you especially drunk later.” The former kingpin holds in a deep frown at that; he’d love to be drunk for the later events. ‘Is he really worried about my ability to consent while this whole situation is illegal and immoral in itself?’ He lets out a quiet huff and nods politely.  
Steps approach their booth. The waitress asks if they are ready from the other side of the curtain and it opens upon their ‘yes’. Victor orders a steak, rare, with a bubbly water and then looks to Os. Looking back at the menu, he decides to eat a steak with a salad to accompany it and a Whiskey to drink. He reluctantly adds a water to the order after the stern look Victor shoots him with. She wishes them a good visit and tells them that she’ll be back shortly with their drinks.  
Oswald breaks the silence first. “Bubbly water?”  
“Yes, I find it very relaxing.” Victor grins.  
“Well I find Whiskey relaxing, so I guess we’re both tense.” Oswald gives a smile back.  
“You likely more than me, being cooped up isn’t fun and I’m sorry for that. Hopefully soon that will change.” Hearing that is like a breath of fresh air to Os so a genuine smile appears in his own expression.  
Then he thinks back to the main problem, “Jim..” He didn’t mean to say it aloud, he really didn’t. But he can’t take it back and the sour expression that grows apparent on Victors face makes him want to close up on himself.  
“What about Jim?” Victor asks, seriously.  
“It’s just that he’s gonna be a headache.. He’s a good detective and that’s the problem. Anyone else could be lured away with a wad of cash or a beating.” Oswald glances up to see how Victor feels.  
Victor Just nods. It worries Oswald. ‘He isn’t going to kill him right?’ He doesn’t want Jim to interfere but he most definitely doesn’t want his old friend dead. “I won’t kill him Os. Calm down.” Oswald wants to believe that he’s telling the truth but something in Victors eyes looks like a lie.  
The steps approach their booth once more with their drinks. Victor opens it this time. She sets the bubbly water, Whiskey, and regular water down. She asks if they need anything else before smiling and heading back to the kitchen when they ask for nothing else. Oswald busies himself with his drink and so does Victor. It isn’t long till their food arrives and they maintain the silence.  
—-  
Jim is running around trying to get any lead on where Oswald and Zsasz could be but it seems fruitless until Jerome approaches him in the narrows. “Hi Jim.” That smile is as unnerving as ever. The street lights add an eerie glow to everything.  
“Stay back Jerome.” Jim feels oddly vulnerable in the alley and backs toward the entrance. He feels cold lick at his neck and turns around so fast it makes him dizzy. As he feared, it’s Mr. Freeze blocking his way out. He turns back to Jerome and sees that there are somehow two chairs in the alley, one occupied by Jerome, legs crossed. He gestures for Jim to take the other. Jim walks to it but doesn’t sit, worried about it being a trap.  
“Please sit Jim, it’s the polite thing to do.” When Jim still doesn’t sit down, Jerome waves at Freeze. The tall man raises his Freeze gun at Jim as a threat. “Sit. Jimbo.”  
Jim hesitates and grits his teeth before sitting. “What do you want Jerome?”  
“Oh, you’re mistaken. I’m here for what you want. Penguin. The other Victor.” Jerome intwines his gloved fingers together.  
“What do you know about that?”  
“Well you saw the first part, the van, smoke grenades. But afterwards.. Victor caught up and shot me four times, can you believe that. A bit excessive in my opinion.” Jerome points to the places he was shot. “Even my crotch. Who does that?”  
Jim frowns, ‘apparently not excessive enough, you’re still alive after all.’ “Well you’re still alive.”  
“Likely not for long.” He rolls up the sleeve on his right arm. The wound looks very infected and it’s color is distractingly unnatural. Well, maybe natural on a corpse. The lighting somehow makes it look like the arm of a cadaver. “I guess I didn’t clean it well enough. None of my doctors have what they need to fix me. So I’ll help you get Penguin. I hope Zsasz puts up a fight, so you can kill him lawfully. I know you won’t kill him under any other circumstance. But anyway, after he shot me, he drove off toward the suburban areas. I had firefly head out that way but she only saw them once before they lost her. Here, it was around this area. I hope I live to see it go down.” He pulls a little map out with a circled portion on it. Little stupid doodles surround the circle.  
“If you turn yourself in we can save you, Jerome.” He knows Jerome won’t do it.  
“You know that I won’t do that, Jimbo. Don’t worry though, I’ll leave Gotham a parting gift.” Jerome stands. Jim goes to stand as well and ask about the ‘gift’ but he’s hit in the head by the butt of Freeze’s gun and knocked out. Jerome exits the alley with a skip in his step, Mr. Freeze following behind.  
—-  
Oswald feels little more than buzzed by the end of his meal. They began to chatter again about random things by the end and it was a surprisingly pleasant experience from Oswald’s perspective. Zsasz seemed to have a great time and showed Oswald a trick on how to balance two forks on the edge of a glass by using a toothpick. Eventually it was time to go and dread immediately settled in Oswald’s gut as they made their way out of the food establishment. They get into the limo and head back to the house with Victors hand resting on top of Oswalds. The ride to the house and the walk inside felt surreal and blurred to Oswald. He was only brought back to the moment at the sound of a lock, the room that he hasn’t been allowed to see or know what it contains. The door is pushed open and red is the first thing that he notices, a lot of red. Then Victor leads him by the hand into the room. Whips and other pain-causing items line the walls. There’s a display of knives and other sharp objects on a table. The only thing in the room that looks comfortable is the bed. It looks soft and inviting. “Don’t worry Oswald, we won’t be using any of these things tonight. Tonight is just me and you. The only reason we are in here is because I do not sleep where I have intimate relations and I don’t want our first time to be on a couch.”  
Oswald relaxes slightly before asking, “Have you had anyone else here?” He sits on the bed and touches the comforter.  
“Not here, no. It’s too risky to bring people to my home.” Victor stands in front of Oswald and starts to remove his own clothing. He takes off his rings and gloves and sets them onto the nightstand. He slips off his jacket and bow tie and lays them too on the nightstand. He has black suspenders on over his shirt, he slips them down off his shoulders and unclips them from his pants. He sets to unbuttoning his shirt. His torso becomes increasingly visible, revealing his many scars. Once the shirt slides off and away, hands move to unzip the dress pants. Oswald quickly looks away. He glances to Victors face and sees eyes staring back at him. The sound of the zipper makes him shudder. He looks away again and doesn’t look back until the sound of clothes shuffling stops and he’s pulled to stand. He looks into Victors eyes, trying to concentrate on his face and not his body. Hands touch his jacket and he lets himself be relieved of his clothes. Warm hands explore his torso lightly before moving to unbuckle Oswalds belt.  
Oswald stops the hand without thinking. “Sorry, I-“ He’s cut off by a kiss. Smooth and gentle. He relaxes a little, letting his hand fall away from Victors. His belt is slipped from the belt loops and put to the side. He trembles slightly as his pants slide down off of his hips. He leans away from the kiss to kick off his shoes. His underwear is gently slid down and off, the air isn’t cold but he still shivers anyway. Victor kisses him again and eases them onto the bed. The kiss gets more intense the longer it goes on. Victors tongue begs entrance and Oswald grants it. ‘Soon I’ll be king again. This is nothing. It means nothing.’ He thinks as hands start to roam his body. He tries not to think of the many degrading objects surrounding him in the room. Victor bites Oswald’s lip and delights in the soft sound that leaves him. One of his hands finds Oswalds cock and strokes gently. He reaches to the nightstand drawer and pulls out a bottle of warming lube. He pours a small amount into his hand and applies it to Oswalds now hard length. Os tries to keep from making noise but their kiss doesn’t allow him to keep anything in. He realizes that his lack of experience will likely mean that he’s probably going to embarrass himself with his vocalizations. He already feels heat coiling in his belly. He wonders if he’s supposed to speak, to tell Victor that he’s about to cum. “Victor.. I’m..” He’s shushed again with lips and tongue. He can feel that his face is flushed. Victor marvels at the freckles that dust Penguins red face. He continues to stroke Oswald, swiping a thumb over the tip with every pass now. He feels a tremor go through the man beneath him, then cum wetting his hand. Oswald gasps and moans as his orgasm washes over him, hands fisted in the soft blankets. When he’s done he keeps his eyes closed and lays still. Victors eyes roam his pliable penguin as his chest heaves. He pours more lube onto his hand. He brings a warm, slick finger to Oswalds ass. Oswald braces himself for the intrusion but it doesn’t make him any more comfortable as the finger touches his insides. After it’s worked in and out more than a few times, another finger starts to ease in.  
“Okay? Does it hurt?” Victor asks with a breathy voice.  
“I’m fine..” a little sound spills from him but he pays it no mind. The fingers continue to massage and prod. They glide over a place that makes Oswald jolt, they find the spot and start to focus intently on it. Os brings a hand to his mouth in an effort to quiet himself. He feels himself sweat and his cock starts to fill with blood again. He almost wishes that it hurt, pain is easier to deal with than pleasure. A third finger presses in with a little resistance and a little pain, but it isn’t nearly enough to make his arousal dissipate. Soon enough that pain and discomfort is once again nonexistent. He’s trembling with pleasure now and he hates it. “Victor..” He whines. Victor nips at his neck and kisses down to his thigh as he fingers him. Zsasz finds a sensitive spot on Oswalds thigh and nips there too before latching on and sucking a hickey into it. Os moans and bites his cheek. He’d imagined something different when he thought of this night. He’d thought that it’d have been rushed, painful, and pleasureless. He wishes that it was. ‘It’s humiliating enough losing my virginity to someone who was my subordinate, even more humiliating that it feels.. good..’ More lube is poured on his hole as the fingers slowly leave him. Victor positions himself at Oswalds entrance and leans back over Oswald to kiss him as he slowly pushes in. “Mh!” Oswald grunts as the tip pops in harsher than he expected. Victor kisses him with extra intimacy, tongue deeply exploring his mouth and dancing with his tongue. Victor gives a good hard thrust to hilt inside. He gives embarrassing compliments as he pulls out just a little and thrusts back in. Oswald wraps his arms around Victors neck as he pants. ‘It’s hot.’ He’s sweating and his hair is sticking to his face. Victors hips speed up and he hits deeper than before. That spot get grazed over every time Victor pushes in. ‘I can feel him throbbing inside, is he close?’ Oswald ignores his own erection even though it’s getting painful. Victor mouths on his former boss’s neck, alternating between soft bites and sucks.  
“Oswald..” Victor moans and quickens his pace even more. He buries his face in Oswalds neck as his hips stutter. Victor pulls out quickly and stokes himself as he releases. The first hot spurts land on Oswalds stomach and cock, the last few land on his hole before Zsasz pushes back inside and relishes in the heat. “Dammit..” He kisses Os once more and pulls out. They both breathe hard for a minute. Oswald’s still hard but makes no move to tend to it. Victor notices and brings his own hand to it. He grips it and jerks it fast, tearing more moans from Oswalds throat. He’s quicker than before and tears leave tracks down his cheeks as he cums again. He covers his face as he starts to hiccup. The hand finally releases him and a closed mouth kiss is placed to the scar on his chest before Zsasz leaves the bed. Oswald dozes but wakes slightly as he’s wiped down. He hears what sounds like a click but everything seems so far away. He’s gently lifted from the bed and taken to their bedroom. The sheets feel nice and cool against him. Victor feels like a furnace laying behind him. He falls into a sleep where he dreams of being king once again.


	13. Gratitude

Oswald rouses slightly as Victor slips out of bed. “Where are you going?” Victor turns to face Oswald.  
“Sorry for waking you. It’s already 9:30, I’ve a few things to do today but it shouldn’t take long if things go according to plan.” Victor says and gives Os a kiss on the cheek before continuing to get ready.  
Oswald frowns, ‘He avoided it. I wanted to know where you are going.. I won’t push though, things are finally falling into place.’ He flips onto his other side to try to sleep some more. Victor locks the bedroom door behind him and leaves the house.  
—-  
Jim is in his office with Harvey, talking about Jerome and the map. They hear a commotion and look to the entrance of the GCPD.  
—  
Victor walks into the precinct. His girls follow. He finds a suitable desk and stands on it, not unlike the first time he was sent after Gordon. “Hey Jim!” He waits a moment then shouts again. “Jiiiimmmm!” The man being called quickly steps out of the office. Harvey follows with a sour look. “Hi Jim.” Victor waves.  
“What do you want?” Jim asks.  
“I thought you wanted to see me?” Victor grins.  
“I want you to surrender and let us detain you. This doesn’t look like it’s that.” Jim feels anger build.  
“Surrender? I haven’t done anything wrong.” The assassin almost laughs.  
“Kidnapping, torture, molestation, battery, murder, and others.” Jim scowls as he lists things off.  
“Do you have proof?” Victor asks.  
“We have your DNA and the shackle that Oswald was attached to. So yes.” Jim says.  
“How do you know it’s my DNA?” Victor smiles.  
“Because you kept Oswald there.” Jim feels a bit of dread creep up.  
“According to who?” Victor asks.  
“Oswald.” Jim frowns.  
“Was it recorded?” Zsasz grins wider.  
“No it was not.” Jim glances around, feeling restless.  
“Then that’s why you want me to surrender. Because you can’t arrest me. It’s all circumstantial. Now, I would like to test something you said. You told me that this precinct is different from the first time I waltzed in here...” He looks around smugly,”EVERYBODY OUT!” They all look look a little ashamed and send Jim sorry glances as they shuffle to the exit. Harvey stays. Jim grimaces. “Hmm. Seems about the same to me.. Except for Harvey here. I gue-“ A shot grazes Victors neck. He turns to see a woman in uniform pointing a gun at him, shaking. His girls get ready to fire. “Don’t shoot.” He shows a toothy smile. “Look at that.” He holds a hand to his neck. “One brave soul. One little chihuahua. Look, she’s trembling. Poor thing. Most cops are all bark and no bite, but you, you actually bit. Too bad that even when you bite, it doesn’t do a whole lot. He shoots her hand. He hops off the desk and approaches her. His girls keep their guns on Harvey and Jim as he leans close to the girl.  
“Leave her alone!” Jim yells.  
Zsasz ignores him. “You are very pretty. You would do great under my care. My girls would love you. But... you did shoot me. And that requires punishment.” He shoots her in the knees. Jim and Harvey yell something but he isn’t really listening. He quickly walks over to the detectives. “Jim. I just came to say that Oswald is happy where he is. One day soon he will rule Gotham again since he agreed to my conditions. Just wait till then and you can hear it directly from him.” He looks to Harvey. “Harvey. You have balls. I respect that.” He walks out with his girls in tow.  
—  
“Goddamn it!” Jim curses before turning on his heel and returning to his office to look over the map with renewed vigor. Harvey shakes his head and follows.  
—-  
Victor still maintains his smug grin as he makes his way through the Narrows. He goes in one of the buildings and it’s full of people drinking and yelling. He hears the voice of the person he’s after. He makes eye contact with Edward Nygma. Ed immediately runs away, Victor follows with excitement running through his veins. ‘It’s been too long since I’ve hunted..’ He slips easily through the crowd after Ed, who’s pushing people in his attempt to get away. Ed blasts out the back door of the building and into an alley. He makes it to the street but is suddenly face down on the pavement with an assassin pointing a gun at him. “I hate you Nygma. Just thought I should tell you that.” A shot rings out, but it isn’t from Zsasz. The hitman stands quickly, pointing his gun at the interruption. Heels tap closer.  
Ed looks up at his savior. “Lee! Oh thank god!”  
“Be quiet Ed. Victor Zsasz, I’ve heard about you. What brings you to the narrows?” She puts her gun away.  
“Well I was going to kill this guy here ya know.. But you kinda killed the mood. Is he yours?” Victor smiles politely and holsters his gun.  
“No he isn’t mine, but I’d rather have him stay alive. He’s valuable.” Lee steps closer to the two men. Victor pulls out his phone and texts one of his girls for pick up.  
“He is, is he? I’ve heard about you too Thompkins, you and Jim were a bit of a thing right?” Victor stares deeply at Lee. Ed stands up and brushes himself off.  
“Yes! I am!” He scurries over to Lee.  
“Me and Jim were. But there’s nothing between us now. So, I hear you have Penguin.” The air seems to immediately thicken, Ed gulps and Victors jaw clenches.  
“You hear a lot. Then again so do I. Like how I’ve heard that a certain someone has talked with Jim Gordon.” Ed’s blood runs cold.  
Lee asks, “Who?”  
“Apparently Jerome. I’ve also heard that he has a nasty bullet wound that will likely be his end.” Ed hides his relief.  
“Ah. Someone dressed in clown makeup did come to ask if I had a certain medicine. I said no, they left in a fit. It’s very rare outside of real hospitals, even then, it’s hard to come by.”  
Victor looks at his watch, noon. “I need to go. Things to do, people to see. Catch you later Nygma.” A black car pulls up and Victor hops in. The car drives away from Lee and Ed.  
“I will always make you smile- if only for a little while. A fleeting word that holds you warm, keeps your mind from any harm. The easiest feeling that you can think- though hard at times when thoughts do sink. Hold me close, teach me near- give me to those you hold so dear. What am I?” Ed turns to Lee with his head down as he speaks.  
“Gratitude.” Lee says.  
Ed gives a thumbs up. “Indeed. Gratitude, much of which I have for you, Lee. Thank you again.”  
—-  
Penguin wakes again to the empty bed. He sits up and pulls himself off of the bed. His legs are shakey and he’s definitely sore from last night but he manages to wobble to the bathroom. He starts the shower up and heads back to the bedroom to grab some clothes from the closet. Silk. He grabs the black silk pajamas and goes back to the bathroom. After peeing and unclothing himself, he gets into the hot shower. An overwhelming sadness creeps up his spine. He thinks he may be crying but maybe it’s just water. He knows he’s crying when he hears an ugly noise echo off of the shower wall. The anguish that he’s had bottled up just pours out. “I’m close, so close. But my gut feeling says that it won’t be as good as I imagine it. I’ll be able to get rid of Zsasz and everything will work out. But how? No one will be willing to go after him.” Oswald gets an idea and starts to laugh. He finishes in the shower and dresses himself in the silk outfit. He goes back to the bed and turns the tv on to wait for Victor.


End file.
